Roommate Rules
by savinglives44
Summary: Pre-series, pre-infarction. Under a bizzare coincidence, Cuddy comes to live with House. Their relationship gets quite complicated when they start sleeping together and Wilson develops a crush on Cuddy. Huddy, Cuddy/Wilson
1. Exposition

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.**

**Roommate Rules**

Gregory House was stunned to hear a light tapping at his door. Rarely did he have visitors…and if he it was usually more of a pound than a polite knocking.

He was having dinner with Wilson and was relieved at the interruption. Lately, he'd been picking fights with Wilson and tonight was no different. Wilson was leaving him, moving on (and out). He'd chosen a new wife—annoying and stunningly attractive Sam—over their friendship. Oh well. House knew it wouldn't last long.

Even Sam had a key to their apartment, and if she'd forgotten it, she'd definitely be the pounding sort. House pondered the identiy of their visitor as he walked to the door.

When he opened it, he recognized her. The girl…a girl, he corrected himself, from Michigan. She was so young and naïve back then. He took in how she had aged, but it was still unmistakeably her- Lisa Cuddy.

"Hi," She smiled. "You probably don't remember me-"

"I do." He cut her off, saving from introductions.

"Lisa," She said anyway.

"I know." He replied curtly. "From Michigan."

Wilson, sensing the tension, stood up. "I'm James Wilson." He didn't make any effort to move to shake her hand.

She waved from the door. "Nice to meet you." She looked at House. "Anyway, I know we haven't spoken in…about ten years. But I'm doing my residency at Princeton-Plainsbourough, and I was just evicted from my apartment and I heard that you live around here." She held up a duffel bag. "I was hoping that I could stay with you…only for a week."

He looked at her suspiciously. "You have no one to stay with…no friends, no family?"

"This is the fourth house I've came to. All my friends- they're already crowding five people into a double apartment. My family lives in upstate Maine, and God knows, I can't afford that commute."

House couldn't get over the fact that she was actually here…at his apartment. She didn't fit; she didn't belong in this part of his life. He'd forgotten about her.

"Actually, this is perfect timing." Wilson, with a cheery smile, approached them. "I'm moving out and Greg has an extra bedroom."

"Oh, don't worry about it." Cuddy sat her bag down inside the apartment, and House glared at it. "I can sleep on the couch."

"Wait a minute!" House whined. He whispered loudly to Wilson, "She could be a rapist or something!" Wilson rolled his eyes.

"What the hell are you thinking?" He faced Cuddy. "You don't know me! I could be a rapist!"

Cuddy smiled slyly. "You can't rape the willing."

"Willing? She can stay!" House exclaimed, and picked up her bag, taking it into Wilson's old bedroom.

Wilson frowned. "Hey!" He looked between the two of them. "Were you guys…did you…?" He trailed off.

"…bake cookies together in college? Why, yes we did." House answered.

"House." Wilson said sternly. "You know what I mean."

Cuddy shrugged. "We were just friends."

House winked at her. "Gotcha." He proclaimed loudly to Wilson. "We. Were. Just. Friends." Then he burst into laughter.

Wilson couldn't tell if they were lying or not. "You are responsible adults now. You know that would be disasterous."

"Responsible adults?" House looked at Wilson as if he was crazy.

"You're right." Cuddy put her hand on Wilson's shoulder. "We're not in college anymore. We can handle this."

House didn't like the way she was touching Wilson. He broke their contact by pushing through them to go back into the kitchen. "So why don't we catch up over dinner?"

* * *

Wilson learned a lot about Lisa Cuddy over dinner. He learned that she was Jewish, and single. (Both of which House made fun of her for.) He learned that she wanted to be a pediatrician, but wasn't completely sure. Through several heated arguments with House, he learned that she stuck to her values and faith, despite all evidence against them.

"You're a doctor! A pediatrician!" House cried out. "How you believe in a God that kills children?"

"God doesn't kill children." She said patiently.

"Oh…so then there is something more powerful than God? That God can't stop?" He raised his eyebrows.

"God is all-powerful," She insisted.

"Seriously." He groaned. "What about free-will? Do we have no choice?"

"Okayyyy," Wilson interjected. "Enough. Agree to disagree."

"Come on, Jimmy. You're a Jew. Why aren't you jumping all over me, defending your values?" House mocked him.

Wilson rolled his eyes. Sometimes, House could be really immature, he thought. But not this excessive. Maybe this was what he was like when meeting a new person. He thought back to when he first met House. He couldn't remember. Cuddy wasn't a new person though. She'd known House. Wilson knew he would have to get more information on this.

"I know better," He replied, trying to take the focus off of him. He stared at Cuddy. She was curiously stubborn, like House. He wasn't sure if them living together was such a good idea anymore.

"Oh," Cuddy nodded. "I see…"

Wilson squinted at her, suspicious. "What?"

She gestured between the two of them. "I see how this- you two- works."

"Jimmy's on bottom." House smirked obnoxiously. "That's how it works."

"That's what I thought," She replied smugly.

"Hey." Wilson tried to clear his name. "We are not- I'm engaged!"

House punched him playfully in the shoulder. "Just messin' with ya." He winked.

"Right." Cuddy took a sip of her drink like she didn't believe him.

"Seriously." Wilson began thinking of ways he could prove his heterosexuality.

Cuddy laughed. "It's all right. But if you're engaged, why do you care if I think you're gay?"

Wilson cleared his throat in thought. "It's- I don't know…"

"He's homophobic," House explained. "I, however, am perfectly comfortable in my sexuality."

"I know." Cuddy leaned into him with a smile and touched his hand with hers. It would have seemed friendly, except they were both staring at each other with a sickening (or so Wilson thought) expression of glee and…love?

"So." Wilson tucked his napkin into his lap uncomfortably. "Did you guys just sleep together in college or were you in an actual relationship?"

They held eye-contact for a second too long for Wilson. Cuddy was the first to break eye-contact and look at Wilson. "We were friends."

Wilson opened his mouth to protest the obvious evidence, but House interrupted him. "I have to go to the bathroom!" He stood up abruptly and whispered to Cuddy, loudly enough for Wilson to hear. "Meet me there. 5 minutes. He won't suspect anything." He left Cuddy smiling.

"You know," Wilson started, "You might be the only person who finds him funny, not obnoxious."

"You think he's obnoxious?" Cuddy slouched in her chair and looked up at him.

"He-" Wilson hesitated. "Sometimes!"

"He was really smart in college. Arrogant. A bit whore-ish." She used her fork to play with her food. "He was fun though."

Wilson shook his head. "Not much has changed."

"Good. I wouldn't want him to change." She paused. "He taught me a lot…about how people are."

"I'm sorry." Wilson apologized. "You must have a very pessimistic view of people."

"I'm moving in with a known asshole who I haven't seen in ten years." She pushed her hair back behind her ear thoughtfully. "I'm probably one of the most optimistic people you'll ever meet."

"I'm an oncologist," He said flatly. "I have to be one of the most optimistic people you'll ever meet."

"No," she corrected him. "You have to optimistic because you're friends with House."

"Are you guys talking about me?" House's voice rang out from the hallway. "Well." He made his way back to the table. "I was thinking about youuuu…" He tapped Cuddy on the nose. "…in the bathroom."

"Really?" She grinned.

"Yep." He took a huge bite of pizza. "I was thinking about your Jewishness. And how's come you don't have any money? You're supposed to be frugal."

"That's just a stereotype," Cuddy said.

"A stereotype…based on fact." House waved his pizza in affirmation. "Wilson's richer than I am."

Wilson defended himself, "I don't splurge my money all away on booze and guitars!"

As if Wilson had proved his point, House proclaimed, "Jews save money!"

"I did! I had money!" Cuddy exclaimed. Then she grew quieter, "It's so stupid and embarrassing and I don't even know how it happened."

"What?" It sounded serious. Wilson scooted closer, ready to rescue the damsel-in-distress.

"I- I have a lead foot." She buried her face in her hands. "I don't know. I was always running late. And somehow I racked up seven speeding tickets. And then I lost my license and had to pay for cabs and I tried so hard!"

She was nearly in tears and House smacked his hand on the table. "That is awesome! High five!" He lifted his hand up.

House was being very insensitive, but Cuddy didn't seem to think so. She smiled and instead of smacking House's hand, she clasped it, bringing it down between them.

Wilson didn't notice. He was mesmerized by Cuddy's vulnerability. For someone he had just met, she had opened up so freely. "Did you try crying?"

Cuddy nodded, smiling and blinking away the tears that had threatened to fall.

"I can't imagine any police officer giving you a ticket. How heartless." He enjoyed Cuddy's attention on him. "Maybe you should have shot him one of those beautiful smiles of yours."

"Thanks." Cuddy smiled even wider, if that was possible. "I haven't heard that in a while."

"Down boy." House commanded. "Remember someone named Sam Carr?"

"I can give other women compliments when I'm engaged, House," Wilson said, annoyed at the accusation.

House pointed at him. "I know you. Be careful."

This was getting much too awkward for Wilson. As much as he was enjoying Cuddy's presence, and the new dynamic she brought to House, he did have to get home to his new fiancée. "I should probably…"

House was out of his chair and ushering Wilson out of the house before he knew what was going on. "Oh really?" He pretended to be disappointed for less than a second. "Good visiting with you. Sleep tight."

Wilson didn't really want to leave Cuddy at home with House. It seemed strange but he felt like he'd known her for a very long time. He couldn't imagine how scared she must be- out of her comfort zone, living with a near acquaintance. But House was too eager for him to leave, for reasons that Wilson didn't want to know. House wasn't the type to force sex, but he was infamous for seducing and taking advantage.

He waved goodbye to Cuddy quickly. "It was a pleasure meeting you!" She waved and shouted something at him, but House shut the door too quickly.

He stared at the door for a few minutes until he heard Cuddy giggling inside. She seemed so innocent and nice. He hoped that House wouldn't corrupt her.

* * *

Cuddy and House stared at each other. He was leaning against the door, seemingly waiting for her.

She'd wanted to be alone with him since she'd first cooked up this crazy idea in her head. She did enjoy the company of House's new friend, but she wanted to see if House was still interested in her. She fantasized over the way it used to be with them, and hoped he was thinking of the same thing.

Maybe not. It was hard to tell what exactly was going on in House's head.

"Cuddy." House said her name, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She stood up and gave him a sly smile. She needed to appear confident. If House knew that he made her nervous, she'd be in for unending ridicule and humiliation.

He walked from the door to where she was standing. He lowered his lips to her neck, breathing but not touching her.

Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. She pressed herself against him, one arm around his waist, the other over his shoulder.

His lips attacked her neck and shoulder, placing wet kisses on every spot he could reach. He held her, closer than she thought possible.

Cuddy felt like she should say something, but she couldn't think of anything appropriate. She clutched his shoulders as he moved his kisses lower to her collarbone and chest, stretching out the material of her shirt.

"Miss me?" He mumbled, as he worked to unbutton her top.

"A little," She laughed. Adrenaline jump-started her body into a raging heat. She looked away from him in embarrassment. She knew he could feel it against his lips. "I was afraid you'd forgotten me."

He pushed her back into his living room until she hit the couch and sat down. He kneeled between her legs and kissed what was most convenient for him- her cleavage. "…spent a year together." He reached behind her to unclasp her bra. "You know I don't forget anything." She missed his lips for the two painful seconds that they were gone. Then they were on her breasts, everywhere, exactly where she needed.

She held him tight, as if she couldn't get enough. When she let him up for air, he gasped. "You're demanding. I like it."

She combed her fingers through his hair. She like the she could feel his head move when he kissed her. "It's been awhile." As if to prove her point, her hips involuntarily thrust into his face when he moved his kisses to her stomach.

"Nice," He winked in approval and worked on the button of her jeans. "But I don't believe it."

"You'll believe it soon," She assured him. "I think my virginity has grown back."

"That's sooo hot," he said facetiously. He helped her stand so he could pull her pants down, but when she went to sit back down, he grabbed her hand.

For a second, she was scared that there was something wrong. But then he moved her panties away and licked inside her.

"House!" She panted, nearly falling backward.

"Cool." He licked her again, his hand grasping the back of her thighs.

"Ohhhh." She closed her eyes and grabbed his hair to keep her balance. She could feel his tongue all the way inside of her, arching and tasting. "Please, please." She needed him. Every second of her past nine months of celibacy was worth it, if he would just give her some relief.

"You'll come soon enough." He squeezed her ass and stood up. "This'll be fun."

He left her standing in the living room. 'What the fuck?' She thought angrily. He was just going to leave her there, cold and horny? He didn't want her. He was just playing…

"Cuddy!" House stood in the hallway. He'd shed all of his clothes except for his boxers. One of his hands was fisting and stroking his erection impatiently. "You change your mind? Could've let me know before I got hard."

She reminded herself to remain calm and cool. "No," She said. It was about all she could muster. She liked watching him touch himself like that. She reached forward and let her hand run over his dick in the same rhythm that he was. He let her take over, closing his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them, he smacked her on the ass. "Let's go have sex in the bedroom. Like grownups, 'kay?"

She wouldn't let go of him. Being in this position of power was too thrilling for her. So, he led her back to her new bedroom with his dick. A little unconventional, Cuddy thought, but it was well worth the fun.

* * *

"I'm thinking that we should make that a habit," Cuddy sighed, her face buried in House's chest.

She was almost cuddling into him. On instinct, House pushed away, rolling her over so that he was hovered over her. "Not a habit," He said quietly, looking at her. "It should be a rule." He nodded decidedly, and jumped out of bed. There was a dry erase board hanging up in his room that he liked to use to work on math equations. He retrieved it and brought it back to her bed. He erased it, and then wrote at the top "ROOMMATE RULES".

She laughed. "Clever."

"1," He wrote, "Sex twice a week."

"House," she joked, "I don't know if I'm ready for this kind of commitment."

Just Cuddy's utterance of the word 'commitment' sent shivers through his spine. He immediately added the next rule, "No romantic expectations of any kind."

"I didn't mean-" She touched his arm, and stopped herself short of a serious conversation. "Okay. What does that entail?"

Under it, he wrote, "No dates."

"With other people?"

House stared at her horrified. "How could I retain my repuatation as Princeton's stud?" He added 'No gifts' to the list. "Now this is only limited to expectations. You can get me a present if you want, but don't expect to reciprocate."

"All right." Cuddy seemed a bit annoyed. "I don't know why I would want to SLEEP with you if you weren't paying for my dinner."

"It's all your choice, Cuddles. You don't have to agree to this." But he knew she would. She wouldn't have came back into his life if she didn't want to be with him. "Haven't you ever heard of FWB?"

"That's not what we were before!" She crossed her arms.

"Yeah, but things are different now. We're too different. We wouldn't work in a relationship," he spoke honestly for the first time that night.

"You don't think-"

"Someone would just get hurt!" He asserted. He rationalized it in his mind. This friends-with-benefits thing couldn't go on very long, but it would definitely outlast a House/Cuddy relationship.

"Fine." She didn't sound too resigned to House, but he didn't say anything. She shifted on the bed. "No sleeping with other people then."

"Cuddy," he shook his head, "You're killing me."

"That's gross, and slutty, and.." She explained, "I don't want to get any diseases!"

"Haven't caught any yet," He bragged. He wasn't an idiot, more of a germ freak with his meticulous condom use. "Completely clean." He wouldn't do that to her- jeapordize her health for a good lay. As much as he played the playboy, he wasn't completely inhuman.

"I don't want to see any girls here! Or have to compare myself..." She trailed off. House figured she was trying to avoid seeming vulnerable.

"No worries!" He assured. "You stack up quite nicely. And I'm the sort of guy that believes that every woman is unique...has her own gifts." He said it sarcastically, but couldn't help thinking that Cuddy was special. But that just meant they had a unique capacity to hurt each other.

"Okay...you're full of it," She said, laughing. She took the whiteboard from him and slid it on the floor. "I think we're done with the rules."

"But we haven't discussed who's going to take out the trash and when we're going to shower together!" House liked to be thorough when it came to these things.

"No." She straddled him. "More." She held him close. "Rules." She pressed her lips forcefully on his.

He said nothing until she stopped kissing him. "Okay."

* * *

She got up early to make breakfast. She had to show House that she wasn't like every other girl. Luckily, he had half a box of pancake mix and some milk and eggs. For a bachelor, he seemed to eat better than just spaghetti-o's and pizza. Or maybe the actual food was left from Robert. She couldn't be sure.

Anyway, she managed to whip up a couple plates of pancakes before she heard a knock at the door.

She tiptoed to the door, peeking out the peep-hole to see who was ruining her morning-after breakfast.

James.

House's friend.

He was here so early and his face reminded her of the reality of their situation. That she was just supposed to be House's roommate and not his girlfriend or his lover. It was disconcerting and she was angry with James for a split second. But then she reminded herself that it wasn't his fault, and opened the door.

"Hi!" She tried to be cheerful.

"Hey." He steeped in. "Just making sure you made it through the night okay." He saw the pancakes. "You made breakfast?"

"Yes," She looked at her two perfect plates of pancakes. "You can have some," she said reluctantly.

"Are you sure? Thanks!" He sat down and dug in. "Mhmm." Wilson said with a mouthful. "Where's House? Sleeping?"

"Yeah." In her bedroom. Crap. She forgot about that. She needed to get him out of there or else Wilson would know they slept together.

"He needs to wake up. He's got a job interview."

"He doesn't have a job?" Cuddy asked, momentarily distracted. She couldn't believe that it didn't come up in an earlier conversation. "But he's so smart!"

"Too smart."

She didn't realize that anyone could be too smart. Even House. He thought he knew everything, but she could tell that he hadn't been fully educated in human compassion. "Yeah. Well, let me get dressed, and then I'll wake him up. He was tired last night."

Wilson looked up at her. "Did anything happen between you two?"

"No," she said, smiling playfully. "Trust me. I know better."

She turned around to leave, and he said to her back, "You seem like the only woman in the world who does."

She bit her lip to suppress a sigh of disappointment in herself. She didn't regret anything that'd happened between her and House, but she did admit that from a third-party perspective, she seemed tragically naive. Yet she had to believe in something different. She knew what she was doing, and if it ended in hurt, she'd accept that.

She waltzed casually into her bedroom, and then jumped on the bed. "House! You have to get up! And quietly! James is outside!"

"You're still here?" He squinted up at her and then buried his face back into his pillow.

That was not very encouraging for her. She smacked him on the shoulder. "James is eating pancakes at the table! And if he sees you walk out of my room, he'll know we slept together!" She threw open her duffel bag, took off her pajama shorts, and slid off her

"Who's James?" He didn't lift his head from the pillow.

"Your friend." She whispered. "And shhhh."

"Wilson? He said obnoxiously loud.

"Shhh!" She jumped out into the hallway. Wilson was looking at her curiously. "Sorry! Alarm went off! Be right back."

House rolled over, and just before he fell off the bed, she caught him. It took all of her strength to lower him to the floor without making a noise.

She climbed over him and took hold of his face in her hands. "Get up. I will distract Wilson, and then you sneak in your room and pretend that you are getting up from there."

"Hello boobs." House gaped at her open shirt.

She like how he was staring at her, but they didn't have much time. "House. We are supposed to be roommates."

"So? Wilson knows I fuck everything with legs. And a vagina." He showed no signs of moving.

"I don't want him to think I'm easy." Even though she felt like it. "Please?"

"Wait. I got a job interview today. Do I?" He looked at her quizzically.

"Yes." She was taken aback by how oddly prepared he was.

"Oh. Better get up then." He stood up and waited. "You going to distract Wilson?"

"Yeah." She was surprised that he was actually going with the plan. She grabbed a top from her duffel and threw it on top of the tanktop she'd been wearing. She met Wilson at the table and turned around so he couldn't see the hallway with their bedrooms. "Zip me up?"

House scrambled out of her bedroom and into his. He winked at her.

Wilson fumbled, wiping his hands on a napkin and zipping her up carefully.

As she turned around, House wandered out of his bedroom, yawning and stretching. Cuddy thought he might be making too big of a production of it, but Wilson seemed to believe it. "Breakfast?"

"Absolutely." House dropped to his seat and started eating.

"Where's your pancakes?" Wilson asked.

"I..umm..only made 2," Cuddy said, embarrassed.

Wilson looked down at his dish. "I'm sorry. I ate yours? You got any mix left?"

"I think that was the last of it." She looked at her empty mixing bowl.

"I am so sorry!" Wilson looked truly regretful.

"Chill out," House pouted. "There's Frosted Flakes in the first cabinet on the left."

"That's not very healthy," Wilson said.

"It's fine." Cuddy had already found the bowls earlier when looking for the pancake mix.

"Not if she has to work today! You're a doctor. Frosted Flakes make the blood sugar spike and then she'll crash later."

"You gotta work today?" House looked at Cuddy.

"Night shift," she replied. "Starting at 4. You're on your own for dinner."

"But what about our plans tonight?" He raised his eyebrows in suggestion.

Cuddy glared at him.

Wilson appeared interested. "What plans? You guys got plans tonight?"

"We are going to watch a movie," Cuddy said quickly. "But that'll be tomorrow night."

"I'll hold you to it." House pointed at her with his fork. "But I guess I'll have to find someone else to entertain me tonight..."

Jealousy shot through her, and she reminded herself to play it cool. "Fine with me. As long as she doesn't get into the Frosted Flakes. That's my dinner for the next three nights."

Wilson frowned. "I can't let you do that. Poison yourself with high fructose corn syrup?"

"She can handle it," House snapped. "I've been eating them for years."

"So why don't you have a job?" Cuddy changed the subject.

"I don't want one," House replied quickly.

Cuddy sat down next to him. "But you love medicine."

"I hate patients," House growled, in a bad mood at just the thought of needy people. "Hospital admins- the HR people- they don't understand. They always hire me as a general practictioner."

"You can't blame them," Cuddy reasoned. "There's not a lot of business in the infectious disesase market."

"There is!" House insisted. "But doctors always diagnose them incorrectly. All of these cases get thrown in with the normal, boring stuff so idiot diagnose them as normal, boring stuff. What they need is an entire department devoted to these cases. And me and my immeasurable diagnostic skills, of course."

As egoistic as it sounded, House actually knew what he was talking about. "You sound pretty passionate about it," Cuddy murmured. Like in college, she thought. "Do you mention any of this in your job interviews?"

"I did. Once. Didn't get taken seriously." House sounded spiteful. "It doesn't matter. I'm perfectly fine working like this."

"Like..."

Wilson explained. "He takes a GP job until they kick him out." He paused. "You shouldn't give up though."

"Right," she agreed. Wilson's optimistic attitude was beginning to grow on Cuddy. This was the kind of guy she should be with. He would care for her and make her feel good about herself. Unlike House, who brought self-loathing and humiliation. Yet she couldn't shake her desire for him. "You're miserable." She could see it in his eyes. He looked much more tired now.

"I don't care." House finished eating and dropped his plate loudly into the sink. "It doesn't matter."

It mattered to Cuddy. She didn't want to see him ruining his life like this. Not working, sleeping around, doing God-knows-what in his free time.

"I'll go get dressed." House trudged back to his room.

Cuddy sighed unhappily in his departure.

"So," Wilson said chipperly. "Got any plans? I should go to work at 9, but I've got some time. I feel awful about the Frosted Flakes. Can I buy you a wholesome breakfast?"

Cuddy's appetite leaped at the chance for a real meal. "Really? I mean, that'd be great."

"Of course! I'd love to. We could talk about House, about work..."

"What do you do again?"

"I'm an oncologist..."

"Right. Actually, I think PPTH is looking for one of those..."


	2. Development

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.**

**Roommate Rules**

Development

"You're going to be late," Wilson poured Sam's coffee for her, trying to rush her out the door. Cuddy was due to arrive any minute for their weekly (secret) breakfast, and he didn't want to Sam to find out. Not that it was wrong to have breakfast with another friend…he just didn't Sam to get jealous and make a big deal about it.

"You're being weird." Sam stretched lazily and slowly packed her bag.

Wilson grabbed her coat for her. "Well, I just am tired of you complaining about not getting promoted when you can't even bother to show up on time."

Sam ignored him, "You're not going to make me breakfast?"

There was a knock at the door and Wilson groaned.

Sam frowned, "Who's that?"

"I'm meeting a friend for breakfast," Wilson explained calmly before letting Cuddy in.

Cuddy looked slightly surprised at seeing Sam, but smiled and said, "Hi, Sam."

Sam glared at Wilson, "A friend?"

"We're friends," Wilson defended.

Sam snatched her coffee and coat from him. She turned to Cuddy, "You're lucky it's obvious you're in love with House," She looked Cuddy up and down, "I'd fight you if you were trying to move in on my man."

Cuddy blushed and Sam smirked. Cuddy sat her bag down on the table. "I am not in love with House."

For some reason, Wilson felt great relief at that statement. He convinced himself that he was just trying to watch out for Cuddy. "Really," He tried to convince Sam, "Cuddy's really level-headed…"

Sam interrupted, "Obviously, they're sleeping together."

Wilson waited for Cuddy to defend herself. As fast as he had felt the relief, it turned to uneasiness as Cuddy appeared humiliated.

"We're not," she said unpersuasively.

"Whatever," Sam shrugged. "You need to work on your denial issues." She stepped forward to kiss Wilson on the cheek. "Please don't see other women behind my back. Even if they're in love with House." She turned to leave but kept her eyes on him. "That just looks bad."

Wilson let out a breath when she left.

"You didn't tell Sam about our breakfasts together?" Cuddy asked cautiously, "I told you that you could invite her."

"I know," Wilson said, just secretly glad that things had gone over smoothly, "Sometimes I need a little space to talk about her too, you know?"

"You can complain about her to House," Cuddy offered, "I'm sure he'd sympathize."

Wilson changed the subject, "Are you really sleeping with House?"

"Occasionally." Cuddy sighed. "It's fine. I mean, it's a little hard when he brings home other girls as well, but I knew what I was getting into when we started."

"How long?" Wilson wanted to know.

"Does it last?"

"No!" Wilson rid his mind of that image. "How long has it been happening?"

"A month after we moved in together," She said, testing the water, "Give or take four weeks."

Since they moved in together. Wilson couldn't believe it. He was such an idiot thinking that Cuddy was different; she wouldn't fall for House's charms. "I thought you were a different kind of person than that."

"I'm still the same person," she appealed to him.

"No." He didn't look at her. "You aren't even close to being House's type."

"What is that supposed to mean?" She sounded offended.

"He doesn't usually sleep with smart, morally sound women." Wilson tried to spin his words so she was complimented.

"We have a different kind of relationship," She tried to sound cheerful about it. "We're friends with benefits."

"Oh yeah," Wilson said sarcastically, "that's going to work out."

"I'm not expecting it too," she said angrily. "He doesn't care about me. He's seeing other people. I'm not sure if he even finds me attractive."

Wilson saw the opportunity and took it. "Why don't you stop sleeping with him then?"

"Because I like it…"

He stopped her before she could continue. "If you stop sleeping with you and he misses it, then you'll know you're at least more to him and a one-night-stand. You'll know he wants you."

"Maybe I will do that," she considered. She hesitated before asking her next question, "Are you jealous?"

"No," he said immediately.

"If you are, it's okay," she said softly.

"I haven't met anyone like you before," Wilson said, "And I don't want House to ruin that."

"He won't," she said, trying to reassure him. "I'm pretty strong." She smiled.

"I know," Wilson said, looking down. "It's just…you seem to me like the kind of woman who would want something more than that."

"I do want more than that," she thought out loud, "House just won't give me more," she shrugged.

"There are other men," Wilson argued.

"Yeah, but they're boring," Cuddy frowned, "I'm starving. Are you ready to go?"

"Fine," Wilson grabbed his coat, "Can I just say one more thing? You know you have a 99% chance of getting hurt in this relationship, right?"

Cuddy nodded, "I'd like to give House the benefit of the doubt. Plus, the sex is soooo hot." She giggled.

Wilson groaned as they head out the door.

* * *

Cuddy kicked her leg over House's stomach and straddled him.

"Again?" He rubbed her leg up to her thigh. "You're insatiable."

"I told Wilson that we're having sex," She sighed and traced his chest with her finger.

"Telepathically?" His hand reached her inner thigh.

"No." She rolled her eyes. "I told him we were sleeping together in general." She took his had before he could touch her. "He didn't approve."

House snorted. "Of course not."

"Do you care?"

"Nope, are you going to have sex with me?"

"In a minute." She held her ground."If Wilson knows, why don't we just tell everyone?"

"I'm not stopping you," He rubbed her legs in impatience.

"It might reduce your sex appeal if women…girls knew you were sleeping with someone regularly." She raised her eyebrows.

"I don't care. Get on with it," He groaned.

"You can't be up for more already," She shook her head in disbelief.

He smirked, "Is that a challenge?" He reached around her and touched himself.

She gasped as she felt his dick harden along the skin of her ass and lower back. She grasped the first thing that her hands could grab- his stomach. "I just….wanted to talk for a sec," she said unsteadily. It was quite impressive that he was hard again. Usually she wiped him out.

Or he really didn't want to talk.

"A couple months of screwing me has remarkably improved your stamina."

"Sex is a form of exercise," He said.

"Will you be able to focus if I get you off again?" She reached behind her and touched him.

"No…yes."

"Promise?" She raised herself up on her knees and slide back so his dick was in front of her. "Are you sure?"

"You are the worst tease ever." He adjusted the pillows under his head.

"You love it," She laughed and rubbed her thumb over his length.

"I want you to fuck me," He told her, a haze of lust over his eyes.

House, though normally outlandish and unpredictable was even more so when he was horny. Cuddy was used to it though. She found it sexy. "That'll take longer." She really had something she needed to tell him. "And we just did that."

"Again," He said.

"You're a child."

He grabbed her hand and stilled it. "I'm sorry if I have trouble speaking in complete sentences when you're jacking me off."

"Do you want me to or not?" she asked kiddingly.

"Don't even think about it." He shuddered as her hand started moving again. "If you're not going to fuck me, then at least give me a kiss."

She slowed down in shock. Sure, he usually kissed her in the heat of the moment, but never asked for anything intimate. Still, she leaned forward and placed her lips on his. Oh, God, she needed him. When she leaned back, his hands were grazing her breasts.

He looked up at her. "I didn't mean on my mouth."

"You tricked me." She squeezed his dick very lightly.

"Mmm. Just do itttt," he groaned.

She shifted back and put her mouth on the tip of his dick. She opened her lips and sucked.

"Damn it, fuck." His head pressed back in this pillow.

It was tempting not to let him slide all the way down her throat. She licked him, sucked again, and pulled back, and continued rubbing him with her hand.

He grunted incoherently again. "I hate you. I hate you. I love you, just go faster."

She obliged, pumping him as fast as she could. She was concentrating when she felt his hand on her cheek and then in her hair.

"Want to swallow?"

It wasn't as much of him asking her if she wanted to, but asking her if she would. She knew the visual would be very pleasurable for him, and even more if she said that she wanted to, so she nodded. She gave him a couple more pumps and let him take over. He guided her down his body and watched as she held her mouth open in anticipation. Her tongue flicked over his swollen cock and he came into her mouth.

"Ahh." He ran his hand through her hair again and again as he laid back. "Damn. Good girl."

"I'm not a dog." She crawled back up to his chest.

His hand slipped down between her legs. She was wet, from the sex they'd had before and from touching him. "It's okay." She kissed him, letting him taste himself.

"Yum." He pecked her on the lips but wouldn't quit touching her. "You know it won't take long."

"I just want to talk to you." She grabbed his hand and brought it up to where their chests were touching. She waited a while, until she was almost sure he was asleep before she started talking again. "I think I'm getting fired."

"Nice pillow talk. I'm gonna need another minute." He closed his eyes and she realized he was trying to fall asleep.

"No! I gave you what you wanted, now listen to me."

"All right. So why do you think that you're getting fired?"

"Well, the dean of medicine is retiring and without him, I probably won't have a job. No one else in the hospital understands me. I'm too nice."

"You are too nice. And the current dean disagrees?"

"He thinks I'd make a good doctor," she said proudly.

House snorted. "If he has ever told you that, it's hospital administrator speak for 'I like your ass.'" He smacked her right on her cheeks to emphasize his point.

She jumped and didn't say anything.

He groaned, annoyed, and smacked her again. She turned bright red.

He hesitated for a painful second. "You like that?"

"No!" She scrambled off the bed, and chalked up her arousal to seeing him come a few minutes ago.

He reached for her.

"I mean it, House, don't touch me."

"Just get back here. We'll play with that later."

She laid back down in bed, but not on top of him.

"So I've got an interview tomorrow."

She smiled. "You didn't tell me!" He was always much happier when he had work to do. "Do you want me to help you prepare?"

"Nah," He paused, "it's in Texas."

She didn't say anything, couldn't say anything. "That's far," she remarked after a while. "Are you going to commute?" She realized it was a stupid question before she asked, but she had to make sure. She couldn't imagine life without him, much less him ever living without Wilson.

"What do you think?" Evidently, he thought it was a stupid question too.

She buried her face in the pillow and closed her eyes. She felt him nudge her. "What do you think I should do?"

"Well, you can't seem to get or keep a job here so you don't have much of a choice." She sighed angrily.

He mimicked her, letting out an even more obnoxious sigh.

"I just don't want to be homeless again!" He could have a little more sympathy.

"That's not my problem," he retorted quickly.

"I know," she said, just as quickly. The faster she appeared to not care about his indifference of her, the more face she could save.

All he would ever do is hurt her. He could say things and she would think that he loved her, behind all his masks. But his true feelings were so obscured, she'd never know.

She got out of his bed.

"I mean," he tried to correct himself, "we'll figure it out."

She yanked a sheet off the bed. "Fine. I'm still sleeping in my own bed."

"You can live with Wilson-"

She shut his door behind her. He'd probably fall asleep soon anyway and she didn't want him questioning anymore. She didn't want to embarrass herself but he had to see right through her. He had to see that she couldn't live without him.

* * *

"Cuddy?" Wilson cracked her door opened and peaked inside.

"James!" She was still naked. Luckily the sheet was wrapped around a lot of her. "What time is it?"

"House said he turned off your alarm. You guys have a late night?"

"A bit." She found her anger hadn't subsided over the night. "I am going to kill him. I have to be at work today. Can you shut the door? I'm guessing he already left."

Wilson looked away. "He did," He paused. "He looked pretty bent out of shape. Did you see him take anything last night?"

"He'd better not have!" Cuddy pulled a t-shirt on and threw open the door. She rushed into his bedroom and began opening the doors and searching the bed.

"If he did, he's not stupid enough to leave it in a place where we could find it," Wilson reminded her.

"I don't think he'd really care," Cuddy retorted. "Why do you think he took something? And why the hell did you let him get on a plane?"

"It's not a big deal. I've seen him like that after he stayed up all night once to play the piano." Wilson shook his head. "He's not interview ready at all. Maybe he was nervous and took something to take the edge off."

She threw the sheets on the bed. "I didn't think he took pills anymore. I haven't seen him take any."

Wilson tilted his head in thought. "Strange. You sure?" He touched her face, "Your eyes are looking a little bloodshot too," He said, only half teasing her.

She laughed. "Not unless he put it in my food last night." She moved her face so he wasn't touching her anymore. "I didn't sleep very well."

"Why not?"

"I don't know." She didn't like how Wilson was becoming increasingly suspicious.

"Maybe because you slept in your own bed?" He guessed.

"I sleep in my own bed!"

"When do you ever? House told me that you'd always sneak back to your room whenever I'd come over to visit in the mornings!" Wilson said, with a smile on his face.

Cuddy had the feeling he was a little hurt that she lied to him. Truthfully, though, she was having a hard time remembering when she last slept in her bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you to know. I was afraid you'd think I was a bad person."

"I think it's a bad idea." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I still like you as a person."

"Thanks." She hugged him and she felt him reluctantly let go of her. The way he touched her sometimes scared her. It didn't feel like a friendly touch…like he wanted to be more, and she just couldn't. "How's Sam?"

"She's good." He nodded, and then hung his head. "I don't know what to do. I don't know if I want to marry her anymore."

"It could be just pre-wedding jitters," she offered.

"Sure, maybe." He stood up. "I should probably get going." He looked at her, pityingly. "Don't be surprised if House doesn't call tonight."

His remark was almost catty and harsh, but it reminded her that she wasn't supposed to care. They weren't in a relationship. "I don't know why he'd call anyway." She stood up and ushered him out the door.

"I'm trying to help," Wilson said.

"You're not." She shut the door.

* * *

"I'm not going to quit sleeping with her," House told Wilson over the phone. "She likes sex, we're good at it, she'll go down on me whenever I ask, and she's not too high maintenance. Until you started putting bad ideas in her head. Why'd you have to do that?" He complained.

Wilson was trying to convince him that the whole roommate arrangement was a bad idea. "I'm telling her the truth. If you want to have sex with her, fine, but living together is too much."

"Why can't I live with her?" House whined. "I like her. She cleans the apartment."

"Both of you can't sleep without the other one. That's a bit off from 'friends with benefits' territory."

"I don't see why it would be. We can be friends and sleep in the same bed." House gripped the phone a little harder as he defended what had grown into a comfortable relationship for him. He didn't want to let her go because Wilson had a problem with it.

He heard Wilson sigh into the phone. "It's not you, House. It's her. I know you are more than just a friend to her and I can see it hurting her. She worries about you and cares for you. You're my best friend, but I can't see you ever giving that back to her. She'll deny it, but she wants a relationship with you…and she's afraid that asking you for anything will cause you to run away."

"Yeah, and that's working out pretty well for me," House retorted sarcastically. He was annoyed by the character that Wilson was making him into. He wasn't heartless, and he didn't feel that it ever bothered Cuddy that they weren't in a relationship. "You don't know anything about what our relationship is like. You just found out that it existed yesterday."

"I know, but even before that I could tell that she liked you." Wilson sounded really tired. "Are you going to call her tonight?"

"No," he lied, "I'm going downstairs to the bar."

"All right, well, have a good night."

"Bye," House didn't even wait thirty seconds after hanging up to dial Cuddy's number. She picked up pretty quickly.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hold on just one sec." He heard her talking to someone else, saying she'd be right back. "How'd the interview go?"

"Stellar. Do you have someone at the apartment?" He felt very uneasy at that thought. He tried to talk himself out of it. It could have been a girl or a friend or Wilson. "If it's Wilson, don't tell him I called."

"What do you want?"

Her ignoring his question made it even more mysterious and exciting. "Just wanted to talk to you."

She hesitated. "Okay. I'll be right back." This time she put down the phone and he couldn't hear anything. It was a few minutes before she picked up again.

"Where'd you go?" Now, he was curious.

"I just told my friend to leave so that we could have a private conversation," she explained.

"Boy friend or girl friend?"

"What is with the third degree tonight?" She sounded slightly amused.

"Why did you tell your 'friend' to leave? Why didn't you just tell me that you were busy?"

"You never want to talk. I was intrigued," she said seductively evading his attempt to be able to read her through the phone. "Have you been talking to Wilson?"

"Yeah, have you?"

"Yes."

The connections were starting to click in House's brain. "I think he's pitting us against each other."

"Why would he do that?"

"He's mad that we didn't tell him about us." Possibly. Not likely.

"That makes sense, but it doesn't sound like him. I don't feel like he's one to retaliate." She had that on the money. "Maybe he's genuinely concerned?"

"He doesn't have a reason to be, unless you are in love with me." Maybe not the best thing to say. "Are you?"

"I think that being in love in a mutual relationship. And you're not in love with me."

"Absolutely not," he said a little too quickly. It was always his answer to 'love' or anything involving commitment.

"Great." He could hear the disdain in her voice, and then the phone moved around a little. "Maybe we should take a break from the whole sleeping together thing."

"Do you mean the sleeping together literally or sex?" He asked hopefully.

"Both. We should just be roommates for a while." She paused, "I think Wilson's right. I need a clean slate."

He wanted to tell her no. He wanted to give her a reason to stay with him, to continue in their bizarre relationship that worked _so _well for him. It wasn't fair to her, though. It was the first time he'd actually considered her feelings. "I don't want to do that. I thought we were fine with the way things were going."

"I want to see other people."

"You can see other people and still come home and have with me at night."

"You are being ridiculous." She groaned her frustration into the phone. "No one does that! You are the only idiot in the world who would want to be in a long term open relationship. Except polygamists."

"Fine. No sex! Let's see how long you can keep your hands off of me!"

She laughed. "_I'll_ be fine. Good luck sleeping tonight WITHOUT me."

"I'm sure I'll sleep very nicely next to-"

He heard a dial tone and hung up the phone. He thought about heading down to the bar or going out and picking up a girl, but he didn't really want to. He hated that she could tell him no. Over the phone, she could hold her ground, but he knew that when he got back and they were alone in their apartment, there was no way she'd be able to resist him. He almost couldn't wait thinking about it- she'd never been that angry before, and that lent itself to some very hot sex in his future. He laid in his bed for about fifteen minutes, feeling very unsettled. Then he got up and began to pack his belongings. He was going to find the first plane back to New Jersey and be on it.


	3. Middle Entries

**Roommate Rules**

Middle Entries

Cuddy hung up the phone and walked slowly back into the living room. Wilson was still on the couch where she left him. He was resting, hunched over.

"How'd it go?" He looked up and asked.

"Badly," she frowned, still shocked that she broke it off with him. "I didn't want to tell him that we're not going to be sleeping together anymore."

She sat down next to him and he rested his arm around her. "But you did?"

"I did," she nodded, shifting in her seat a little. "House was being a real jackass." She knew Wilson would sympathize.

"Typical. So you're still going to live here?"

Truthfully, she wasn't ready to leave him, but she wasn't about to admit that to Wilson. "Yeah, I'm planning on it. Got nowhere else to go." She felt awkward with his arm around her and her shifting away from him so she leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's not too bad anyway. I'm going to miss him though. It's not going to be the same."

Wilson's hand slipped from her shoulder to her upper arm. "Maybe if you guys can get some separation, you'll know what you want from him exactly."

"Yeah," her eyes fluttered as she was thinking really hard. She wondered if she'd made the right choice.

"Maybe you'll find something else entirely." She felt him staring at her but she didn't meet his eyes. She thought that maybe he was talking about himself. She knew he was having troubles with Sam. She did like him, but she was with House.

She changed the subject as she took in what House had said to her. "He told me he didn't love me." She breathed out heavily. "He said it in a way…he's never going to love me."

"He's a narcissist. You know what he's like." His thumb brushed her skin.

"He's never going to love me," she repeated, "and I don't know why." Tears leaked out of her eyes and onto his shirt. "I am perfect for him."

"You are perfect," Wilson said. His hand came up to rest on her chin and then he cupped her jaw and brought her face to his. She finally looked up at him and he kissed her. Her mouth was open and his tongue instantly slipped into it. She didn't stop him for a few seconds, but then she pulled away.

"I'm sorry." She stood up. "I can't. It's too soon. I mean, I like you…but House…."

Wilson stood up with her. "No, I'm sorry. It's completely my fault."

"It's okay." She took a deep breath."I was asking for it." She shouldn't have asked him to come here, when she was so vulnerable.

He started to say something, but stopped. They stood in silence for a few seconds until Wilson gripped her elbows and kissed her on the cheek. "It's no excuse, but it's been hard with Sam, and I love spending time with you."

She hesitated. She didn't want to lead him on because obviously, she still wanted House, but it was nice to know that someone wanted her. "Thank you," she said sincerely, running her hands through her hair. She was still a little confused, "So, um, do you want to date me?"

"Maybe." He nodded, "Yeah."

He was exactly the type of guy that she should be dating, but the fact that he hadn't even considered the woman he was engaged to was a sign of caution to her. "I think you need to talk to Sam," she said, almost angrily.

He took the hint, giving her some space. "I will."

"Have you even talked to House about this?" She crossed her arms in front of her.

"I told him that you deserve better. You know that."

"But he doesn't know that you want to date me." She was getting increasingly frustrated and tired.

"Well, I haven't said anything because you guys were sleeping together," He tried, unsuccessfully to explain.

"You didn't even know we were sleeping together." She wondered if that was when he decided that he wanted to date her. Perhaps knowing that House had her spurned some sort of competitive instinct within Wilson. She felt guilty immediately after thinking that. Here he was, one of her closest friend, saying that he wanted to be with her and she was getting unjustly angry. She waited patiently for his retort, but it never came so she said in the kindest voice she could manage, "I think you should go home."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'll go." He reached for his jacket. "Are you sure you're going to be okay here all by yourself?"

"Yeah." She'd done it plenty of times before. She walked him to the door, intent on not kissing him again until he or they talked to House.

* * *

It was 3AM when House stumbled into their apartment. "Honey!" He howled. Not drunk or high, but exhausted, he clumsily pushed his luggage to the side and tripped over the sofa. "Oof." He hopped on his foot to her bedroom, slightly surprised that she wasn't up. She stirred slightly in her bed and he knew she was at least awake.

He hunched over and greeted her with a wet kiss on her neck. "Miss me?" He climbed into the bed and pressed into her, molding their bodies together.

She struggled against him. "Aren't you forgetting a little conversation we had just a few hours back? About NOT sleeping together."

He pinned her down so she'd stop trying to get out from under him. "Well, I think we could go with…A, it didn't happen. B, you were totally delusional. Or C, it did happen and you completely regret it."

He momentarily ran his eyes down her chest and he was distracted enough for her to bring her foot up and slam it into his hip, rolling him off of the bed.

"How about option D," she said, with a smile, "your dick's never gettin' in me again."

"Fuck you," he muttered under his breath, rubbing where his side had hit the floor.

"Get out." She sat up and swung her legs over the bed and kicked him.

"No." He growled, sitting up.

"Then I will." She shoved him with her palms and kicked him one last time in the chest before scurrying out of her bedroom. He groaned and stood up slowly. He found her pacing their tiny kitchen. "Feel better?"

"No." She darted away from him, circling around their kitchen table.

It wasn't hard for him to catch her. "You just kicked my ass. You've got to be a little satisfied. We all even now?"

She ripped her arms from his hands and shoved him again.

"What is with you?" He asked her. "Get a little horny in my absence?"

"House," she pointed at him, "Don't you dare try to have sex with me."

She really shouldn't have said that, he thought. He grabbed her upper arms again and pinned her to the wall. He kissed her roughly, trying to feed back to her what she had been giving him for the past ten minutes since he'd been home. He pressed his lips against her harshly, sucking hard on hers. She tried to breathe but couldn't until he let her. He supposed it was a little cruel, but he loved to feel her gasp against him, the hot air on his chin. He pushed down her shorts and had to break away.

"House," she rasped. "Stop. I said no."

He trapped her against the wall with his body and used his hands to undo his pants. "See, that's the thing. I feel like in this case, 'no' really means 'yes'."

She weakly pushed back on him, not really trying, but wanting him to get the hint. "I mean no." She realized he wasn't about to stop. She sighed and whined,

"Then fight me." He loosened his grip and looked at her. "You could get me off of you."

"I'm tired." Her eyes started to tear up. "And I shouldn't have to."

Seeing her cry killed whatever erection he had. His arms relaxed completely so she could easily slip out. But he wasn't used to being rejected and that made him disinclined to give up just yet.

She shrunk out of his hands and they fell to his side. He couldn't look at her any more. His skin tingled in dissatisfaction.

"I'd be okay if you made me have sex with you," she said, "but I wouldn't be able to live here anymore."

He couldn't stand what she was saying. He quickly walked back to his room and slammed the door shut.

* * *

Modulation

The first day after was anything but pleasant. They didn't say a word to each other.

Wilson stopped by the apartment, hoping to catch Cuddy, but was greeted with a half-awake House.

"I didn't think you were supposed to get back until later today," Wilson said, confused.

"Caught the Redeye back." House poured himself a glass of water and drank it in a few gulps.

"What's the rush?" Wilson knew it before he asked. "Ahh, Cuddy."

House set the glass down loudly and left the kitchen.

"House," Wilson asked slowly, "did you have sex with Cuddy last night?"

"No, and I know you had something to do with that."

They were standing at opposite sides of the living room, House almost back into his bedroom.

Wilson took a step towards House. "I don't think it's fair for you to treat her like shit."

"Why do you fucking care?" House ran a hand through his hair. "I've screwed and screwed over plenty of women before and you didn't bat an eyelash." He stopped and looked at Wilson as if he knew that Wilson wanted her too.

Wilson hesitated, not knowing what to say.

House continued, "We were fine before she came into the picture and she and I were fine before you started meddling in our relationship. There's only room for 2 people in this apartment so get the fuck out." He left for his bedroom.

After that, Wilson immediately made plans to have lunch with Cuddy the next day.

* * *

Diminution

The second day, she tried to make conversation with House by asking him to open the jar of jam. He opened it, but wouldn't take his eyes off the television.

"Nothing happened," Cuddy told Wilson later in the day, when he'd asked about the night that House returned. "He came home. I said I didn't want to have sex so we didn't. End of story."

"Well, yesterday he had an extra serving of sass for me so watch out when you get home."

She laughed. "I'd actually welcome that. Not talking for a day was quite brutal." She took a bit out of her bagel. "Did you tell him what happened between us?"

Wilson looked down, "I thought that maybe you would have."

"Hey," She hit the table where his gaze was until he looked at her. "Did you talk to Sam?"

He shrugged, "We've had opposite schedules." He tried to assure her, "I will…" he touched her hand on the table and she pulled away.

"You will tell both of them if you want to be with me," she said, thinking that he probably wouldn't and that she wouldn't actually have to deal with attempting a relationship with him. He was wonderful, but it would be extraordinarily complicated. On the other hand, if he was willing to ruin an engagement and risk a relationship with his oldest friend for her, clearly he was committed or crazy. She should at least give the relationship a shot.

* * *

Inversion

The third day House got himself out of the apartment and into a bar. She was the first semi-attractive blonde that he saw.

She was sitting with her friends and he nodded his head over to the bar. He met her halfway with a drink. "Hey."

"Hey, thanks."

"I'm Greg." He found two seats at the bar and offered her one and took the other.

"I'm Lindsay." She tasted her drink and licked her lips.

"Where are you from?"

"Princeton. I'm a native." She moved her drink closer to his so their fingers touched. "I got to school here."

"You're not pre-med, are you?" He looked at her. At the same time he hoped and feared that she was at the teaching hospital and knew Cuddy.

"No." Another sip of her drink. "I'm an English major. Why?"

"I'm a doctor."

"Oh," She seemed impressed. "You must be very smart."

"A little bit," he laughed. "English major, that's some sort of a joke, isn't it?"

His words shocked her. He was supposed to be coming on to her. She tried to ignore it and work it to her advantage. "I read very well," she said sexily.

"I read very well in the third grade." He looked away from her. "Say something impressive."

She downed the rest of her drink and whispered. "I'll be the best lay you ever had in the bathroom of this bar."

He waited ten long seconds and shrugged. "Okay."

She took his hand and lead him into the women's bathroom.

It wasn't until they had gotten into the bathroom that he realized he had to get it up. He had been trying to find a distraction from Cuddy, only to find that Cuddy was distracting him from everything else, including Lindsay taking off her dress.

He tried to focus on the swell of Lindsay's breast in her bra. He touched her on the side of her breast and let his palm graze over her and squeezed.

There, he felt himself begin to get aroused. She unbuckled his pants and used both of her hands to rub his dick softly. After about a minute, she sped up and he groaned.

"Like that?" She asked. Her hair fell in front of her face and she laughed.

"Here," He slowed her down. Their hands grabbed him firmly at the base of his dick and then stroked up lightly to the tip. 'Like Cuddy,' he thought. Once he let her go, she only did a couple strokes more, which left him unsatisfied. He wasn't as hard as he'd like to be, but he supposed he shouldn't expect more out of a bathroom quickie.

She pulled off her panties, turned around and bent over.

He should have been extraordinarily happy that she was so easy, and in his favorite position too.

"Hurry up," she grunted, her face already beginning to turn red.

Oh, the poor girl. She didn't know.

She had no ass. It was like her thighs went straight to her hips.

He contemplated having sex with her. He really did. He placed a hand on her lower back like he really was going to fuck her. But then he thought about Cuddy, of course, how he liked to feel her ass on his thighs when they had sex in the same position. He liked to be able to touch her and pinch and let her know what he wanted.

He ran his hand over it to see if there was anything salvageable. "Nope. Sorry." There was nothing. "I've got nothing."

"What the fuck? You were hard like two seconds ago." She stared back angrily at him.

"Well," he laughed and shrugged, "I can't. My bad." He tucked his dick back into his pants. "Your bad, actually. I've never given this advice to any woman…but you really could eat more Oreos. Or your body fat just distributes really unfavorably."

She stood there, dumbfounded for a moment. "You can't be fucking serious." She turned back around and held her dress to her body. "You won't fuck me because I'm not fat enough?"

"You have no junk in the trunk." He drew her into his arms and spanked her on the butt, or where it should have been. It made a flat sound, like hitting a table. "See? It's supposed to be softer."

"You're insane." Unlike Cuddy, this girl was less attractive angry. Her eyes darkened, but in a way that made her skin seem too pale. Instead of getting flushed, it seemed like she was sweating, which smudged the makeup that she already had too much of on her face.

She pulled on her dress, trashed the panties.

"Overall, you're still pretty hot," he said without thinking, and then scolded himself. Never before would he have attempted to make her feel better about herself. Then again, never before had he refused sex from an attractive woman. Maybe his relationship with Cuddy wasn't such a bad thing. It was causing him to raise his standards. "And best lay? Learn some fucking humility."

She scowled at him and unlocked the door.

There was a woman waiting for the stall. House exited right behind Lindsay and nodded to her. "Good evening."

Lindsay left and didn't look back. House didn't care. He was going home, decided that he'd had enough fun for the night.

* * *

Augmentation

On the fourth day, House answered Cuddy when she asked about his day during breakfast. It shocked her enough, to his enjoyment, and he departed quickly with cereal. Safe back in his room, he called Wilson. "I'm ready to talk."

As soon as Cuddy left for work, Wilson was over. House opened the door and Wilson asked, "What's up?"

"Nothin'." House let him in.

"We don't talk for almost three full days and nothing is up?"

"I'm fine." House waved him off. "I thought it was about time."

Wilson approached him cautiously. "You're not going to bite my head off?"

"Not unless you ask me to," House smirked and plopped down on the sofa. "I went out last night."

"Where?"

House ignored him. "I almost screwed this blonde chick."

"Almost? That's not like you," Wilson laughed, secretly glad that he seemed to be moving on from Cuddy.

"Well, I ended up thinking of Cuddy."

And Wilson was disappointed again. "You want to get back together with her?" He tried to sound neutral.

"No, no. I think it was just some sort of backlash to sleeping with her so much and then not at all. So." He clasped his hands together. "I need to get super duper laid this weekend. Like multiple very hot women. Sex on a stick women."

"I think we can manage that." Wilson smiled, glad that House was back to his old self. "So, you're not interested in Cuddy anymore?"

"I wouldn't have sex with her even if she asked me to." He said confidently.

"Well then," Wilson sat down next to House. "You should know that I kissed her, and would like to date her."

House sat still for nearly a full minute and then wrinkled his nose in thought. "You're not lying."

"How'd you figure that?" Wilson wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

House leaned back, "The only plausible reason that you would lie about this is to make me jealous and want Cuddy back."

"That's absurd." Actually, it wasn't. It was, as House said, plausible. But it disturbed Wilson that House could read him so well.

"However, if that's the case, there are two possible conditions. Either Sam knows or she doesn't know. If she knew, she wouldn't have let it go this far, and you would have said that you were dating Cuddy, instead of kissing her, which is what really happened. Anyway, if Sam doesn't know that you are kissing Cuddy to make me jealous, then you must really love Cuddy because you wouldn't sacrifice your engagement with Sam for someone who you didn't love." House stood up and went into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. "Moral of the story is, you're not lying."

"Brilliant deduction," Wilson rolled his eyes. "What else you got?"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, doc," House gulped his water, "but she doesn't like you. She's head over heels for me."

"Oh shoot," Wilson threw up his hands in mock exasperation. "I might as well just give up then."

"Might as well," House spoke a little too quickly and Wilson could hear the hurt in his voice.

"You're actually jealous, aren't you?" He said, bewildered.

House couldn't lie, "Yes."

* * *

Cancrizan

The fifth day, Cuddy had off from work. She got up early, like usual, but to her surprise, House wasn't there. His bed looked slept in, but it always did. It worried her that he was doing something out of the ordinary. He was trying to catch her attention. She felt uneasiness settle in her stomach that he might have gone out and had sex with someone else. It was residual from their relationship, she told herself.

But she'd never cared before. Well, she did care, but she suppressed it behind a façade of claiming to want their crazy, backwards relationship. She wanted to be the perfect puzzle piece that fit with his jagged edges.

Maybe it hurt her that he wasn't in his own bed simply because he had been for the past week. Before, when they were sleeping together, she always knew when he'd had another woman. And he hadn't, since their "breakup", which meant his was actually more faithful to her when they weren't together.

So screwed up, she thought, but it had built a bit of hope in her that he could want her, that he was so destroyed by her rejection that he couldn't possibly imagine being with another woman. It was idiotic of her and she was almost glad that he wasn't in his bed. It was better to be hurt in the light than ignorantly hopeful.

Still, her masochistic (and perhaps idiotic) instincts took over, and she called him, just to see what he'd been doing.

He picked up. "Hello."

The fact that he answered was a relief. "Hey. You aren't home so I thought I'd see if you were okay."

"You're checking up on me?"

"Yeah." It was a nice thing to do; it was what friends do. She didn't know how it made it sound so derogatory.

"I'm fine."

He was being short with her and she didn't like it. She wanted to get him as irate as she was. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think?"

She didn't say anything. She held her breath, knowing he was deliberately trying to hurt her. It was working.

"I'm at the park," he announced casually. "I wanted to read this paper on a virus that spreads through nail clippings and thought I'd get some fresh air."

That was strange. At least he wasn't at some slut's house. "What are you going to do today?"

"I'll be here for a while. Then, I'd thought I'd go to the library and pick some stuff up at the store, and then work out at the gym for a couple of hours."

He never left the apartment, and now he was going to spend the whole day away? "I have the day off today," she said.

He didn't say anything this time.

"You know that," she said, realizing why he wasn't home. "You don't want to see me."

"My life doesn't revolve around you."

It was a lie. "So it's have sex with you, or nothing?" Maybe it was a stupid idea to think that they could be friends, but he didn't have to treat her like this. "I thought that we could reconcile…" she spoke just barely above a whisper, not really wanting him to hear. "I should move out."

"You don't have to do that," he sounded a little sympathetic, "unless you want to."

"I guess I'll have all day by myself to think about it," she snapped. "Or I'll have Wilson over to consult me!"

"You do that." There was a certain deadness to his voice that made him sound absolutely bitter, even in just three words. The phone line went dead and she groaned in frustration.

She called Wilson right away and met him at a coffee shop.

"It's been five days and he's still avoiding me!" Cuddy told him, "I think I should move out."

"You take all of his crap for months and now that he's giving you space, that's when you want out?" Wilson shook his head. "You don't want to move out anyway and you're not going to. You're just holding this over his head to make him do what you want." He handed Cuddy her coffee.

"Since when did you get so blunt?" In truth, she was a little stung. He'd never said anything less than courteous to her. "I just don't want to feel uncomfortable in my own home, and I don't want it to be unbearable for him to live there. "

"If he wanted you gone, he would tell you. He would kick you out. At least he has a reaction to all of this, it means he cares. He's not apathetic to you."

"He feels rejected. It's not about me. It's about him."

"He tried to have sex with someone else and couldn't because you were on his mind. Don't tell me he's not affected by you." There was a hint of hurt in his voice.

She sat back, let the news soak in. She wondered what had happened between House and this girl. She wondered when it had happened. Why was House hiding it from her? Then, the thought that he might actually love her crossed her mind. Maybe he could actually be faithful. Small, hopeful butterflies flitted through her stomach before the dread sat in. Her rationality took over, her instinctive protection for her heart and she blocked all of those romantic feelings out in fear that he would disappoint her. She put her face in her hands and groaned. "Just quit it." She wasn't talking to Wilson so much as this situation that she was in. "I am so sick of being jerked around. Anything that he does sends me soaring high or dropping low and it's not all his fault. I know. I'm just sick of it. Why can't we just be honest with each other?"

The weary look in Wilson's eyes told her that he was sick of it too. She almost felt bad, dragging him into all of her and House's problems, but she remembered he chose to be tied to them when he kissed her. Still, she looked up and apologized, "Sorry, we should talk about something else."

"It's fine." He reached across the table, held her hand, and smiled.

She looked down at her hand. "You didn't want House and I together. Why are you suddenly vouching for him?"

His thumb stroked hers. He looked like he was struggling to say something.

"You didn't talk to Sam yet?" She guessed.

"No." He removed his hand from hers. "I did." He paused and laughed, "She jumped my bones, then cried, and then said she wanted to work it out. She still wants to get married."

Cuddy was almost relieved. She didn't want to break them up. "What do you want?"

"I don't know." He rested his head on his hand. "I don't want to marry the wrong woman."

She pressed her lips together in thought. "I don't know what to tell you. I think this is something you just have to decide on your own. Go with your gut feeling."

"I don't have one," he grumbled. He sighed, "Well, I guess we haven't set a date or anything so there's no pressure of time."

"Just be a good guy like you know how to be," She smiled and he laughed.

He watched her, smiling as well. He just sat there, appearing to be in thought.

She looked at him, curious, "What?"

"Do you know what House is doing today?"

"Yeah," she said slowly, still not understanding what he was up to, "He said he was reading an article and he had a bunch of errands to run…which he never does. I just don't understand-"

"He lied," Wilson interrupted, "He's at the hospital."

"What hospital?" She asked cautiously, knowing the answer, but not wanting to hear it.

"Princeton-Plainsbourough."

"What is he doing there?" She said the words one at a time.

"He's consulting on a case."

"Why?" She was scared now that he was on her turf. They'd always kept work separate from each other and it was unnerving her that he'd crossed that boundary.

"To get money…?"

"I didn't know." Her forehead wrinkled in aggravation. "What is he doing there?" She repeated to herself.

"He's broke!" Wilson explained. "He didn't finish up with the consult in Texas because SOMEONE made him come back here."

"I didn't make him," she growled. "That's my hospital."

"I don't believe you own it." Wilson said, sipping his coffee.

"I just-" she felt her face flush, "My job isn't secure at all. And if he does something or screws something up and mentions MY name…"

"I'm sure you're fine," Wilson said, "You're a wonderful doctor."

"I'm not." She thought a moment. "I'm not the kind of doctor they want me to be."

"It'll all work out."

He said it so quickly, like it was an automatic response. She could hardly believe him.

* * *

Stretto

On the sixth day, House and Cuddy sat face-to-face. It was lunchtime. House was having breakfast and she was having lunch.

"What did you do yesterday?"

She wasn't making conversation. She knew he'd lied. "I was at the hospital," He said nonchalantly. He noticed her tighten her grip on her sandwich in anger and immediately followed it up with, "Now don't worry. It was only for work. Not for a medical condition."

"You lied yesterday. You were at PPTH," She glared at him. "What did you do?"

"Performed medicine." He focused on his cereal.

"I am trying not to suspect you of anything." She closed her eyes and took a few breaths. "Did you talk to anyone about me?"

He had spoken directly to the dean about her. "Yes. I told them about your horrible medical judgment and that they should fire you." It wasn't false, but he had told them that she put impeccable care for patients over her own needs, which to him was horrible medical judgment. Also, he told them that they should hire her as the new dean, which would require her to leave her current post as a resident.

He was playing with her. She was profoundly more fun when she was livid and nothing quite got under her skin like her job.

She grabbed his forearm and he could feel the heat. It was killing him. He missed her so much.

"Are you fucking with me, House?" She looked at him and her eyes were dark.

He pulled away before his brain exploded from restraining himself. "Duhhh." He rolled his eyes and got up to put his cereal bowl in the sink.

She followed him. "If I hear from someone that you said ONE word, I am leaving and never coming back. I might kill you as well."

He wanted to tell her that he needed to hide the knives, but figured he couldn't. She might actually stab him in a fit of rage.

"I never know when you are lying to me," she said.

She wanted to turn this into a heart-to-heart and he wouldn't have it. "Umm, just assume that I'm always lying to you." It was probably a safe bet.

"That's not true."

"You got it." He made a move to duck around her and leave but she blocked him.

"No, I mean, you don't always lie."

"Sure, I do. I always lie to you. I said I was at the park yesterday. I wasn't."

"One data point doesn't prove a theory, genius." She was so much shorter than him, yet when she spoke to him like this, he felt like they were nose to nose.

"But I am a creature of habit and consistency," He commented snarkily and wished that he had a bigger kitchen so he could escape her questioning.

"You were until I came along."

It was the first time that she even suggested she had an impact on him beyond sexuality. He didn't like that she was implying that she had power over him and knew it, so he told her, "I slept with another woman a few days ago." Telling her had two purposes. First, it would shock her back into a state where she could no longer threaten his control over their relationship. Second, it would refute what she had already claimed about him.

She didn't say anything, just looked at him blankly. He couldn't read her and he almost groaned in frustration.

"True or false?" He asked her.

She didn't wait. "True."

"Then how can you claim I'm a changed man?" He moved closer to her to lean up again a counter top. "Sleeping with a lot of women- I did that a lot before and after you decided to drop in on my life."

"Maybe you didn't sleep with her."

Something told him that she knew. He would actually be surprised that she hadn't made a move sooner if she knew that he had tried and failed to have sex with another woman. She did have an unusual amount of confidence this afternoon. Still, he couldn't be sure and it didn't really matter. "That would mean I lied. And I thought you said I didn't do that."

"Just tell me the truth." He watched her run her fingers through her dark curly hair, pulling it to the side. She'd let it get long and seeing her do that made him want to thread it through his own fingers, wrenching her head back to kiss her.

He blinked out of the fantasy. "You don't tell me the truth."

"I do too!" She arched away from him, offended.

"You never mentioned swapping saliva with my best friend. Lie of omission," He accused. He wasn't really pissed that she didn't tell him as much as that she did it in the first place.

"That's none of your business!" She was clearly shocked that he knew, or at least hadn't prepared what to say.

"It is." He placed his hands on the countertop behind her, trapping her. "It's a new roommate rule. You can't sleep with my best friend."

"We didn't sleep together," she clarified.

"I don't want you sleeping with anyone else."

"You have sex with other women all the time. You're insane if you think I would be faithful to you." She crossed her arms.

"It's a new rule." He brushed his lips against her jaw and she tilted her head back and he moved further down her neck. He took a deep breath in. It was unbearable not to touch her, not to really kiss her. She was pale and she smelled like fruit and he wondered if she would taste like it as well. "If you want to be my roommate, don't fuck other guys and…" He was about to say that he would negotiate his fidelity, which really meant he would be faithful.

But she cut him off.

"Then I guess I'm moving out." She pushed him back and he moved easily, weakly.

He was like putty as he realized he had almost let her love him. He knew she'd spoken too soon. But she was gone and without her in his arms, he couldn't bring himself to admit that he wanted her. She wanted out. He'd thought there was never a line he could cross with her to make her stop loving him. He supposed he took too long to know what he wanted. The timing hadn't worked even if he was only a second too late.

"By the way, I'm coming out with you and Wilson tomorrow," she shrugged. "It can be my going away party."

* * *

A/N: The titles started out as parts of a story, but I made it longer and changed it to parts of a fugue.

This chapter was going to be the last but it got so long that I wanted to split it up. So, next chapter will finish it up. I've got it all planned and I'm excited.

Hope you liked this part!


	4. Final Statements

**Warning: This chapter is smut-HEAVY.  
**

**Roommate Rules**

Final Statements

* * *

Wilson sat on the couch in House and Cuddy's apartment, flipping through a magazine impatiently. It was 8 o'clock and neither of them were ready to go out. "Guys! Come on!"

They both came out at the same time. Cuddy was wearing a sequined black dress that barely covered both her ass and her boobs. Her hair was up, but she'd tousled it to look more casual. When she saw House, she looked pissed.

House had dressed himself in ripped jeans and a t-shirt. He took in her four inch heels and bright red lips and nearly choked on his own spit. Seeing her like that made him angry that he couldn't kiss her and claim her as his, but he hid it. He shook off the arousal and looked at Wilson, who was staring too. "Oh, close your mouth Jimmy," he said to him.

He then walked over to Cuddy and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are way too overdressed for this. We are going to a bar, not a strip club."

"I wouldn't wear this to a strip club," she said, as if she would go to a strip club. The annoyed look she gave him made him even hotter for her.

"A stripper would," He said.

She smacked him on the check and her face flushed. "I thought we were going to a club."

"You think Princeton has a club?" He laughed at her and it only embarrassed her more. He could feel the heat coming off the skin on her shoulders.

"I don't know-"she took a deep breath and almost looked like she was going to cry.

"I have a solution," Wilson said. "We can go to the Cardinal."

"Ughhhhh," House pretended to groan. He took his hands off of Cuddy. "Fine." He actually liked the music there.

"What's the Cardinal?" Cuddy asked.

Wilson stood. "It's a classyish bar that's got live bands. You might want to dress down a little," He suggested and then pointed to House, "And you're going to need to dress up."

"I look fine!" House exclaimed.

"Just do it," Wilson shot him an angry look. "Cuddy got all dressed up for her last night in this apartment. You can put on a clean shirt."

House was about to complain that his shirt was clean, but he went back in his room, knowing the faster that they could get out of there, the faster he could get laid and forget about Cuddy. First, he took off his clothes and put on a pair of dark blue jeans. He sifted through the shirts in his closet. They were all fine to wear.

He thought about how Wilson had looked at Cuddy in her dress and a wave of jealousy passed through him. He tore a light blue shirt off from the hanger. He sat on his bed and held onto it tightly, not putting it on quite yet. He wondered if Wilson and Cuddy would get together after she left. He wondered if he would ever see her again. Hopefully not, he thought bitterly.

Wilson and Cuddy wouldn't work. He wasn't her type. He was too easy, too nice. He wasn't House.

But Wilson was good for her. He'd be everything that House couldn't. He wouldn't sleep around. He'd be polite and gentle in bed. He could tell her that he loved her. If it wasn't Wilson, it'd be another guy who she'd marry and lose herself to.

What a pity, he thought. She really had a great personality. He'd admit that he loved to talk to her, especially to fight with her. But if she married a weak man, she wouldn't have anyone to push back against her. She'd become dull in her wits. She'd think things like interior decorating and Danielle Steel novels were interesting. She'd cede passion for normalcy, which was fine.

Not for him, though.

He heard her come out of her room, and Wilson said, "Gorgeous."

He walked over to the door and listened from his room.

Cuddy said, "I can't, Wilson." She lowered her voice to a whisper, but House could still hear her. The walls were wonderfully thin. "I want to want a relationship with you, but I don't."

"Atta girl," House said under his breath.

"Really?" Wilson said. "I thought you liked me."

"I do," she said, her voice a little whiny with pity. "You're a great friend to me."

"Don't you want to be with someone who's your friend?" Wilson implored. "That's why I want to be with you."

"What about Sam?" She sighed.

"We're not friends anymore. We've just been together for so long…that's all we are- people who've been together, people who have a past. You and I could have a future," he said.

Good speech, House thought. He knew that Wilson could be charming. It sounded like he and Cuddy were inches apart. He could hear it in their breaths.

Cuddy took a long time to speak again, "Theoretically, I think we would be perfect for each other. But practically, I can't make myself love you." He heard a suction noise as she kissed him apparently. "I'm sorry. If you don't want to be friends, I understand."

"Just give me a shot." This time, Wilson kissed her.

God, Wilson, give it up, House thought. He smiled to himself. She was smart. He didn't think she was wise enough to say no to a guy that she genuinely didn't feel for. She'd rejected House based on logic, but she rejected Wilson based on feelings? She must know that she was fine on her own.

He stuck his thumb in his mouth and bit on the nail. Her independence only made him want her more. Soon, soon, he would have sex and forget about her.

"No, please stop kissing me. I don't want it."

House sucked in a breath. If he heard Wilson kiss her again, he might have to go in there and punch him. In fact, he thought he might like to punch anyone who kissed Cuddy. For a moment, he worried that this meant he was attached to her.

Of course he was attached. She was the best sex he'd ever had and he didn't want to share that. It didn't mean that he loved her or cared about her.

"Okay. I'm sorry," Wilson said. He walked over to the opposite side of the room.

"What is taking House so long?" Cuddy said.

House took this opportunity to put his arms through the shirt and move away from the door. Cuddy opened the door. Her eyes went straight to his chest, as he hadn't buttoned it up yet.

"You ready to go?" She swept her hair out of her eyes. She's let some of it down so it was half up. He could barely see some of her dress, but he could tell it was more modest than before and it was some color of green.

"Yes. Sorry I can't make myself hot as fast as you can." He buttoned his shirt as fast as he could. He wanted to see more of that dress.

She rolled her eyes. "Hurry up." She threw open the door and turned around to exit.

His mouth went dry. The dress dipped in the back and it went low. He remembered running his lips over that back, biting her, forcefully pressing his chest against it when he pounded into her from behind.

He groaned, forgetting that she could hear him.

"What?" She whipped her head around. Her eyes were dark, lined in the same color as her dress.

"Nothing." He straightened his shirt, ruffled his hair.

"How do I look?" She scrunched her hair and gave him a mocking look.

"Fuckable, darling." He put a hand on her back and kissed her temple. His eyes squinted in exasperation.

She was confused and visibly shaken. "Thank you?"

"That's the best compliment you'll ever get from me."

"I'll take it." The mood was set- they were going to be cordial on this last night.

She sauntered into the living room and announced to Wilson, "We're all ready."

* * *

The Cardinal was already packed with people dancing and drinking. The lights were red and low and the music was jazzy. It had been awhile since Cuddy went out. It was still fairly early in the evening; people weren't too crazy, but she was still nervous. She'd wanted to come to keep an eye on House, but it was turning into something entirely different.

He was being nice to her.

It started when she'd heard about what he said to the dean, and to one of the chairs of the hiring board. It shocked her, and truthfully, she still didn't know what to think about it. He'd lied and played with her feelings when actually he'd saved her job. Then, when they were getting ready, he seemed taken by her. It pleased her because she dressed up for him, and, in the event that he decided to go after another woman, she was dressed for any man whose arms she could fall into first. She was giving herself a free pass to be slutty to get over him.

House was the first person to approach the bar. "I'll buy your first drink," he told her.

Again with the niceness. It was creeping her out.

"I'll have a scotch on the rocks," he said, "and the lady will have a screaming orgasm," he winked at her.

She squeezed the clutch that she was holding in horror, but thinking, 'At least he's back to his old self.'

"You're not going to buy my drink?" Wilson asked, smiling.

"Oh, of course." House made another motion to the bartender. "And a cosmopolitan, please and thank you."

"How polite," Cuddy said, taking her drink.

"You know me," House bumped his drink against hers. "Cheers." He took a swallow and she sipped it.

"Oh, that's not how to do it. It's meant to be a shot." His hand covered hers and he brought the drink back up to her lips and tilted it up.

She swallowed all of it, but not all at once. His eyes were on her face and neck and then the drink was gone and so was his hand.

"Good girl," he said.

She was beginning to feel the effects already, getting a little dizzy.

"Now," he said, "I've delivered you a drink and a screaming orgasm within three minutes. I've done my part for the night. Off you go to the men." He turned her around and smacked her on the butt.

She didn't know what to do, but walk forward. She found herself alone at a table and stood there.

"Wait, Cuddy," she heard. Wilson pushed through the crowded bar. "Here." He sat the cosmo down in front of her. "I don't want it."

"Thanks." She took a sip. "I thought maybe House wanted to hang out with me tonight. Guess not." She wanted to talk to him one last time. She wanted something to happen so that he could redeem himself. She knew he could love her in secret, but she needed him to say it to her face, so that she could be absolutely sure.

"Well, remember, he's on a mission to have sex and forget about you."

"It worked so well the last time." She smirked at the thought of House not being able to have sex with another woman.

"If he finds someone slutty enough and forces himself, it'll happen," Wilson was practically yelling over the music.

"He shouldn't have to force himself," Cuddy thought out loud. She was angry at Wilson. He was crushing her fantasy. It was probably beneficial that he was so blunt so that she didn't get too caught up in House and she didn't have a good time.

"Do you wanna dance?" Wilson asked.

She did, but she didn't want to lead him on. Luckily, her plan was falling perfectly into place at exactly the right time. "No, but I bet she will." She pointed to the entrance where Sam had walked in. "I called her."

"You shouldn't…" Wilson stopped himself. "Thanks."

"I'm going to go dance," Cuddy said. "If I get close up enough to the front, no one will notice that I'm dancing alone."

"I'm sure you won't be dancing alone for long," Wilson whispered to her. "Come find me if you need anything." He left to greet Sam.

She took two large swallows of her drink and noticed it was almost gone. She turned back towards the bar. She stopped when she saw House talking to a brunette. It actually kind of looked like herself, but this girl had straight hair and seemed taller. Her long legs stretched and brushed over House's. Hurt sank into her stomach and she felt her eyes tear up. She placed her drink back on the table.

He was smiling and she felt even worse. She couldn't stop staring at them. House leaned forward and she couldn't tell if he was kissing her or whispering something, but she couldn't stand it.

She felt worse than she ever did when they were sleeping together and she saw a girl leave his bedroom pissed off because he kicked her out. She felt worse because it was her last night and he wasn't doing anything. He was running out of time.

She turned around, emptying herself of the obsessive thoughts about him and walked straight into the crowd of dancing people. She buried herself in it until she reached the stage. She wiped the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks and started to sway her body to the beat of the song. The previous slow tunes changed to more upbeat. She rested her hands on the stage.

Not a minute passed until she felt a hand on hers. It wasn't rough enough to be House's. She looked at the man and smiled. He was cute. His skin was a darker olive and his hair was black and she thought maybe he was from somewhere in the Mediterranean.

"You-a want to dance?" He asked.

Italian. She turned, her hand grasping his and she nodded. She pressed her face into his white shirt and she smelled fragrant cologne. That, combined with the heat of the people, the drinks, the music, she'd almost forgotten about House and her lookalike.

* * *

It was not a coincidence that she looked like Cuddy. It was all part of his strategy to get over her. If he could find someone who looked like her, maybe it would be easy to do her, and abracadabra… he'd be over Cuddy.

She was smart too, like Cuddy.

But slightly cutthroat, unlike Cuddy. Apparently she was a lawyer and she was in the middle of a case. She was suing a small, local grocery store so the larger mass chain could profit more. "I mean," she was explaining, "these farmers are just cheating these people for higher profits. The food is ridiculously expensive. And they're often willing to sell out fast."

"Doesn't it cost farmers like a freaking fortune to produce organically?" House asked. "And I think the food just might be healthier without pesticides and steroids, but…just a theory! I'm just a doctor," he said sarcastically.

"Don't tell me you're one of those hippies who lives on nuts and seeds," She took a sip of her drink.

"How could you tell? Was it my leather jacket? Or is it obvious that I'm carrying a big hunk of meat around?" He smirked.

She lowered her voice, "I make it a point to eat a 'big hunk' of meat every day."

She could do innuendos. Brownie points for grocery girl. "Well, my meat is special," he told her, "you can't bite on it, but it has to go all the way down your throat. Swallowing is a must."

She was about to say something when someone bumped into her chair and moved it. He watched her as she seemed to turn into a completely different person. "Hey asshole!" She yelled even though the guy was standing right next to her. "Watch where you're fucking going! You coulda spilled my drink!"

House raised his eyebrows. Okay, she was a little psycho. He could still fuck her. He could do it.

"Sorry," she seemed really pissed off still. "What was I saying?" She took a deep breath, "Oh, I do bite a little so you might want to watch out." She smiled as if that was supposed to arouse him, but honestly, it scared him a little.

Cuddy never would have bit him. Her mouth was soft and she tightened it around him because she knew he liked it. When they were in bed together, she was always trying to please him, even at the expense of her own orgasm.

Damn it, was he always going to compare other women to her?

He thought back and tried to remember if he would have liked this woman before Cuddy. Maybe.

"What do you think?" She said, "You aren't scared, are you?"

"Well," He thought it was perfectly reasonable that he wouldn't want her to bite him and she should know that, "the thing is, if you bite my dick, I'm not going to be able to use it for a while, and I like to use it every day multiple times, so I think I'm going to have to veto the biting."

"It doesn't hurt that bad," She picked his hand up and brought it to her lips. She kissed it, and he was almost convinced until she pulled some skin through her teeth and clamped down on it.

He yelped, "Yikes!" He pulled his hand away as quickly as he could and rubbed it. "That hurt, you crazy bitch." He stood up. "There's no way in hell I am interested. I wish you the best of luck in finding a victim for your insane vampire fantasies. Good night." He picked up his coat and left in a hurry to the other side of the bar. He was pleased that she didn't follow him.

He scanned the room for his next attempt. Third time's the charm, he encouraged himself. Unfortunately, his eyes found Cuddy dancing the night away in the arms of another man. He didn't know what to do. They were so close together, and she seemed to be comfortable with him. Her face was pressed into his shoulder, his into her neck.

House was absolutely frozen watching them. He could only see one thing and he knew that no matter what happened- if she just finished one dance with that man, if they kissed, if he took her home and screwed her, that House would have to make her his again. He would take her and kiss her and have sex with her. But mostly just hold her because he knew that he had driven her away into this guy (and Wilson's for that matter) arms. She was with them even though she wanted to be with him and that was his fault.

He realized that as scared as he was to be with her, it was much more horrible without her, watching her dance with someone else, and almost getting his penis bitten off.

He was branded onto her- that's why she had came to live with him in the first place, but now she was branded onto him as well and until that moment, he was still burning and struggling against it. He had tried to escape loving her, but it had happened and now there was nothing he could do about it except wait.

Wait for her to leave her temporary lover. He picked a spot at a table and watched. Women approached him, but he snarled at them, "Not interested!" He gripped the table in anticipation. He did worry that she would reject him again, but that could not happen. Not when he was feeling like this, that he would do anything to have her back.

He pondered the stops that he would have to pull when something caught his eye. The man's hand had dropped from the open back of Cuddy's dress to her ass. He watched intently as Cuddy should her head, tried to move his hand. The man clearly wasn't hearing it. He was smiling one second and the next he forced his lips onto her.

House took off for the dance floor. He fought his way through the crowd, grabbing those in his way and shoving them to the side. He arrived at where she'd been a few minutes ago, but she was gone. He looked all around, but she was nowhere.

He searched for her in the crowd and then he saw her, sans the creeper. She was just a few yards away. Her eyes were watery and her lips and neck were red, like they'd been chewed on.

He was flooded with anger and lust and love all at the same time. She took the first step towards him, and that was it. Within seconds she was buried in him, her arms around his stomach. He was arrested in joy that she had forgiven him and wanted him. They stood like that for what felt like an hour. One of his arms came up her back, the other across her shoulders protectively holding her to him. She'd only cried for a few minutes and then started kissing his chest. It probably irked the other dancers that they weren't moving, but he didn't really care. She'd moved from his chest to his collarbone to his neck.

He was actually trying not to get hard because he wanted to prolong things, but he wasn't as in control as he'd like to be. He knew she had to feel it. Every inch of their bodies was pressed together. She didn't seem to mind, not scolding him or anything, but they couldn't very well have sex on the dance floor.

He'd missed her and now he was allowed to hold her again and his dick was ruining it. "Not ready," he wanted to say, "Come back later." He tried to slow his body down by running his lips softly through her hair. It didn't work and she noticed how he desired her. She untangled them, holding onto his hand and dragged him through the crowd. She pulled him to the bar and there was a door beside it. She checked to make sure the bartender wasn't looking and they headed into the hallway and immediately took the stairs down to the basement of the bar.

Did she know where she was going? He didn't care. He needed to touch more of her again, have more of her touching him. She opened a closed door. Lucky guess. It was a closet. Or a very tiny office, he thought, since there was a desk and a chair. She mounted herself on the desk and he stood in between her legs. Her dress was stretchy and easily hiked so he could press into her pelvis. He lowered his head to hers, not kissing yet. Their noses bumped into and grazed each other. He looked into her eyes and was satisfied. He knew, as soon as he kissed her, he would be overcome with need and then it'd all be over.

He took time to memorize where they were at, willing the moment to stay forever so they didn't have to face the real world and what they'd done to each other in the past. Her arms remained around his neck, locking his head where it was, but his hands moved everywhere over her. They touched her thighs, feeling her skin that became increasingly hot as he moved inward. He grasped her hips, pulling at her hipbones so she was pressed harder against him. His palms skimmed up her sides, relishing every curve until he got to her back. He ran his hands all over it, and then buried them beneath the material of the dress so he could feel the top of her ass. It was much missed, he thought. He wanted to lift her up to cup it, but that would probably mean ripping her dress.

Her hands slowly found their way around his jaw and face. Their foreheads were getting sweaty from being pressed together, but they couldn't let go, couldn't stop looking at each other.

She made the first move, tilting her head up and placed her lips on the side of his nose, then under his nose but above his mouth. She baited him with her breath, hovering over his lips. The second she touched her lips to his he attacked forcefully. He pressed her back, back onto the desk until she couldn't go any further. His lips pushed into hers as hard as he could. He knew her head must be digging back into the wooden shelves behind them and he'd stop if she asked him to or gave any sign that she was hurt.

His tongue swept into her mouth, sliding and bumping against her own tongue. He leaned his neck back for a moment, breathed, and met her mouth again. He had to hold her up with one arm so she wouldn't fall back on the desk. He used the other hand to hitch up her dress as far as it could go and lifted her up so he could grab her ass. She was being completely held up by him and the shelf behind the desk. She had her arms over his shoulders, rubbing his back and running her fingers through his hair, sometimes pushing his head into hers to make him kiss harder.

He enjoyed holding her, knowing that she was completely tangled in him and had nowhere to go. She was completely his again, or she would be soon. He broke away and looked at her. She was so thoroughly kissed, he almost had to laugh. He set her back down on the desk. Her expression was a mix of need and relief. His own lips felt abandoned, but he paced himself. He cupped her cheek and just stared at her.

"Is everything all right?" She asked. They hadn't spoken to each other yet.

"Yeah." He kissed her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I'm…great." She laughed. "As long as you're here." She shivered, as his body wasn't as close to hers anymore, warming her.

"Yeah." He had to smile a little.

Her hands went into his hair again and dragged him back for more kisses. This time, he was soft, his tongue only meeting hers briefly. She pulled his bottom lip between hers and sucked. He lost himself in the kiss and he felt his legs buckle, which reminded him that he wanted to get on his knees at some point soon. He kissed her chin and the back of her jaw, by her ear. He saw that there was still a red mark on her neck. It looked like she'd been bitten too.

"Geez, were you dancing with a shark?" He nudged the bite.

"It's fine," she said, "You're here now."

Yeah. He ignored it and avoided her neck. He kissed his way down her shoulders and slipped off the straps of her dress. It fell easily to her waist. He sucked on her upper chest, teasing her. She leaned back, placing her hands on the table behind her, so her boobs were completely accessible to him. First, he ran his hands over them, her nipples peaking fast under his palms. He used one hand to guide a nipple into his mouth and the other squeezed her other breast.

"God, House," She tightened her legs around him.

He sucked hard, letting his tongue scrape over her nipple. He moved all over her breast, kissing ever bit of softness he could find.

"Switch," she sighed, and he did. He brought his hand up to his mouth to continue pinching her nipple. Then his mouth kissed over to her other breast and this time, he was a lot gentler, his tongue stroking the nipple like he would do to her tongue when he kissed her. He ran out of places to taste- it was all starting to taste like his saliva so he lowered himself to sit in the chair of the desk.

"No," She pulled his hair up, "Come back. I need you close to me."

"I'll be right back," he promised, slightly muffled because his mouth was against her thigh. He pulled her to the edge of the desk. It was perfect. He was staring right between her legs.

"Lift up real face." He pinched the sides of her panties and she complied. He didn't touch the crotch of her panties until he had them safely away from her legs. He wanted the first thing to touch her pussy to be his tongue. Her thong was soaked. He'd never felt a girl that aroused before. He just chalked it up to another thing she gave him that topped every other experience he'd had. At this point, he was getting unbearably hard, and he knew it wouldn't be any better when he started eating her out. She caught him stroking himself through his pants and she said, "Just come back up here."

"In a minute." It had been so long since he'd attempted to have such control of himself. He was enjoying the challenge.

He stared between her legs. He could see the dim light reflecting off of the wetness. He spread her legs and hooked them around his back. He pushed his tongue into her and closed his eyes. She was so fucking wet. It was all over his mouth the second he was in her. She was also off the desk- she'd bucked her hips up. Luckily, he'd evaded getting slammed in the nose, but now there was considerable pressure on his shoulders and back. He took his tongue out, "Down," he pressed her hips until she was sitting on the desk again. "Relax," he took her legs and put them to the sides of his shoulders so he could hold her down by her thighs. He rested his tongue on her clit and massaged it. She let out a loud groan. He watched her pressing her lips together, trying not to make noise.

"You want me?" He asked.

He slid his tongue back in her and made it his mission to lick up all of the wetness that he could. Of course, it would be impossible because the more he licked and swallowed, the wetter she got. Still, he worked hard and she tasted incredible. His hands held onto her hips and his thumbs stroked her hipbones under her dress. He loved the fullness of her thighs, the energy that she demanded from him. He kissed her clit, sucking hard.

"House!" Her voice strained to keep quiet, but needing to scream. She yanked on his hair and he had no choice but to stand. "Now, now," she said, frantic, reaching for his pants. "I'm so close."

He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and kissed her. "I know." He grabbed her hands, which had undone his button and zipper so his pants slid to his upper thighs. "Let me make you come."

"You can," she pointed out, her fingers hooking into the elastic of his boxers.

"No," He said. "With my mouth." He kissed down her neck, brushing over the sore spot with his lips. "Trust me."

Something in her eyes told him that she didn't. She didn't want to let go of herself enough to let him so up close and personal. She was still afraid she would fall for him, and then he'd leave or neglect her again.

So he waited for a moment. He hugged her in his arms, and the mess they'd made between her thighs touched the sliver of skin that she'd bared on his stomach. It was almost impossible not to shove his boxers down and just take her. But they'd done that before and she was never going to know that she was his unless he showed her.

"Okay," She said.

As soon as she gave him the word, he moved slowly back down to his chair. "Then you can have your way with me." He smirked.

She helped him down, her hands grabbing his side, his arms, his shoulders, before going behind her to hold herself up again. "Just hurry," she said, closing her eyes.

"Hey." He nudged her thigh with his nose. "You open those eyes and watch me."

She did, reluctantly, he noticed. Her eyes were pleading, her forehead wrinkled in what almost seemed to be pain.

He knew she had been on the edge for about five minutes now, not wanting to let go. She was so tense. "Relax, relax." He told her. She let out a long breath and he felt her thighs relax against the counter. "Good," he muttered to himself.

She tensed back up when his tongue went back in her. He moved his tongue like he did when he was kissing her and watched her to make sure she was watching him.

The look on her face was so intense, he almost couldn't hold her stare. "Please, please, please" she was saying, she threw her head back.

He wanted her to look at him so he swiped his tongue long and deep inside her and she was forced to return his gaze. He started to press against her walls, trying to find any spot that would please her. He curled his tongue upward and she gasped.

He sat up in his chair, muscled her legs down onto the desk. It allowed him to lick even deeper into her. Her arms were getting weaker; she was slowly lowering herself down onto the desk until she was on her elbows. High-pitched moans left her mouth and he brought one of his hands to her pelvis. He curled his tongue again up to the spot that she liked and used his fingers to rub it from the outside.

She screamed and he could see her eyes tearing up from the pleasure. He massaged her clit with the bridge of his nose, and he felt her surrender. Her muscles clamped down on his tongue hard. The look on her face- he couldn't describe it- it was need, shock, and bliss all at the same time. Most of the time, when he felt a woman orgasm, he could feel little impulses on his fingers or dick, but this time, she was squeezing his tongue. She stiffened and her legs shook. He had to hold his dick to stop from coming in his pants.

She was still contracting when he pulled out his tongue. He had to wipe his mouth off again. She'd slid off of her elbows to lie on the desk. She was completely out of breath.

He sat her back up and slid off her dress. It was just getting in the way now and it had to be annoying her. She regained strength and was able to sit up on her own. "I couldn't see there for a second," she gasped.

He smiled. He was rightfully proud. "I missed you," he admitted.

"We both missed each other. I think that much is obvious." She ran her fingers through his hair, this time much more gentle, soothing where she'd pulled before in her desperation. He stood up slowly. It felt like all of his blood was in his dick and that he was going to explode any minute. Her hair was all messed up and he pulled it out of its clip and ran his hands through it. He held her to him again. He pressed her head to his chest and pushed on her ass so she could feel his erection right on her clit.

"You need me," she said.

There was no point in assenting, what she said was obvious.

"Why are you still dressed and I'm completely naked?" She asked. "Doesn't seem right."

He begged to differ. If she was naked, everything was right. He began to take off his pants and she unbuttoned his shirt. "You didn't have to do that," He said.

"I want to feel you," she argued. She pressed her face against his chest and kissed him. She slipped the shirt off his shoulders, and he thought, well, now we're officially screwed if anyone walks in. They both reached for his boxers at the same time, but he was the only one able to take them fully off. She was mesmerized at his dick. "I was almost worried I'd never see your penis again," she joked, stroking him.

He grimaced and removed her hand. "You'd never have to worry about that. Just ask. I promise I'll let you see it."

"You're pretty hard," she observed.

"Yeah, well I haven't had this much foreplay in four years." Since they'd last dated.

She bit her lip and spread her legs, inviting him in. He saw her pussy open for him and he placed a hand on her thigh. There was a problem. They weren't perfectly lined up.

"It's just a little off." He grunted as his dick pressed into her stomach. "A little low."

"I can get on my stomach," she offered.

"No." He wasn't about to let her go, let her not face him. "Lean back a little." She got back on her elbows. "Scoot forward."

"Can you hold me?" She doubted.

"Puh-lease." It was perfect. Her ass fit into his hands and he could lower her just enough and control where he hit her. He pushed his dick into her very slowly, so they both could feel the drag and friction of her on him.

"Mmm," she hummed in delight. She found that she only needed on hand to steady herself and wrapped the other around his neck. She smiled at him as he concentrated and kissed him. He brought himself out just as slowly, inch by inch. The second time entering her was a lot smoother. He felt like she was burning him, the further he got coated in her juices. He squeezed her ass.

"You can go faster," she told him.

He wasn't doing his job. She shouldn't be able to talk. Luckily, he knew what angle to hit. He pretended not to hear her, moving out of her even slower. He withdrew completely from her, took a chance and shoved her back all the way down on his cock. Her legs tightened around him. "Fuck," she said. He knew he was hitting her a lot deeper than his tongue had.

Despite complaining that he wasn't going fast enough, she was sweating. His thumbs ran along the small of her back and it was damp. She had to work to keep her orgasm at bay and that knowledge made him thicken inside her. She had to feel him stretching her. Now, she appreciated his patient pace.

He held onto her, moving a little faster, setting a steady pace. She kissed him, their lips bumping with their movement. "Harder," she whispered.

"Stop complaining," he said through his teeth. He was sure her ass was getting red from the way his fingers were digging into it. He began lifting her up and dropping her onto his cock. It cost a lot of energy, but it was worth it because gravity made him even more powerful. He was hitting her right at that spot and her muscles clutched his dick.

"Yes," he hissed. Her muscles kept pulling on him. She got stronger as she got more aroused, and it was harder to move within her, so he settled for bouncing her on him. Over and over, it was fast and hurried because it was a much smaller movement.

"God," Her hand slipped, but luckily, he had a fantastic grip on her. She held onto his neck so the desk was no longer supporting her at all. She was simply in his arms as he drove deep into her. "You know…" her voice vibrated, "I love you."

He was near orgasm so he supposed he was allowed to say it. "I love you too."

He boosted her onto one arm and used the other hand to bring her face down to kiss him.

"Then, make love to me like you do" she said. "Or are you afraid of someone walking in?"

There was mischievousness in her eyes that suggested she said that just to push him over the edge. He thought about someone walking in, and seeing her wrapped around him, already fucked, and him with his face screwed up in intolerable pleasure. He plunged into her as fast as he could and moved her on top of him in a slightly slower rhythm that drove them both wild.

"Oh," her eyes rolled back and she closed her eyes as she came again. He almost felt bad, but he had to keep thrusting because he was so close. She trapped his dick in her and he emptied himself in her. They both fell back onto the desk and he pushed into her a couple more times. He didn't pull himself out of her until he absolutely couldn't feel any aftershocks of her orgasm.

He rolled off of her, but held her hand.

"Oh, God," she said, brushing her hair back. "We need to get our clothes back on."

"What's the rush?" He kissed her arm.

"We're in a public place," she laughed and he was glad that she didn't seem to regret what they'd done.

"I know. It's sooo hot." He sat up with her. "I'm glad we did this."

"Me too." She grabbed his face with her hand and kissed him on the cheek. "Where's my underwear?"

"It's not going to be much good to you. It's soaked through." He'd thrown it on a nearby table and he handed it to her.

"Ick."

"Here, let me throw it away, it'll surprise whosever office this is," he reached for it.

"No!" She held it close to her. "I don't want anyone doing anything funny with it. I'll just put it in my purse. Anyway, they'll be getting a big surprise with our ass-prints all over their desk."

"I wouldn't worry about it. It doesn't look like anyone's used this room in a while." He stood up and began to put on his boxers.

"Hey, wait. Can I use those to clean up?"

He laughed, "We can just use the restroom when we get back up there."

"It will be down my legs by then. Look, we've already stained the desk." She pointed to the wood where a small bit of semen had already dribbled out.

"My goodness, can't you keep my come in you for a minute?" He pretended to be annoyed.

"Like I can control that," she rolled her eyes. "It's your fault anyIway. What'd you do? Save up for me?"

"Maybe." He hadn't had sex, of course, and masturbation was difficult when he was trying not to fantasize about her. "Seriously though, with that vice grip you had on my dick, nothin' can get out of there," he said, wiping himself off first before offering her his boxers. She hopped off the desk and her legs shook. He caught her, smiling with pride.

"Thank you," she turned slightly red. She wiped the liquid off of the desk and between her legs. She tossed his boxers in the trash. "You'd better not commit any crimes here. They'll bring out the black lights and see your semen all over this room."

"It would have been worth it," He said to her. He was ecstatic that they were both leaving without underwear on. He pulled up his pants and re-buttoned his shirt.

"Can you help?" She held the back of her dress up to him and he tied it. "Ready to go back out?"

"No." Even though they'd just had sex and he was almost exhausted, he didn't want to leave. He placed an arm around her and kissed her softly.

"We have all night," she reminded him.

He kept his arm around her and held her hand. "I already want to touch you again."

"Let's make an appearance and then we can go home," she promised.

They trudged back up the stairs with her hand on his ass.

* * *

A/N: I might write an epilogue.

And/or a sequel with pregnant!Cuddy.

Okay. Here's my little rant about the season finale: No Cuddy, seriously? She didn't even go to the funeral. And then they play off Stacy as his long lost love? Stacy and Cameron, but no Cuddy. That is some batshit crazy stuff. It is like they don't care what I think.

Otherwise, it wasn't bad. House faking his death? Pretty classic.

See? I can't tell other people that or they think I'm crazy and too invested in a show.

If you have any interest in my sequel, let me know. As much as I write to fulfill my own creative juices, I need a li'l motivation.


	5. Coda

**Roommate Rules**

Coda

It was actually kind of pitiful how little stuff she had. She had her suitcase, which she brought with her, and a few more articles of clothing that she'd purchased while living with him, but overall, her new apartment was going to look very empty. She resolved to go shopping the next weekend. Hopefully her new paycheck would have kicked in by then.

She pulled her suitcase behind her to the living room and waited for House.

She'd gotten up early to pack, which she now saw was unnecessary. It'd taken her about fifteen minutes. She walked to House's bedroom to wake him up and let him know that she was leaving.

He wasn't in there. She sighed, frustrated. He was just there a half hour ago when she'd woken up! "House!"

"One minute!" She heard from the bathroom.

She heard him rustling with a few things and wondered what he was doing in there.

The door opened.

"You didn't flush," she reminded him.

"I wasn't pooping," he retorted. He had a box in his arms.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Your stuff," He said, as if it was obvious. He handed it to her and she set it down to look through it. House sat down with her.

She took out the largest item, first. It seemed to be a poster, rolled up. She peeked inside to look at it. "The Eiffel Tower."

"I thought it was customary, you know. Since you're going to be living in a dorm."

She sighed, "It's an on-campus apartment and that's the only way I could get it free until I save up enough money for a new place." She didn't appreciate him making fun of her new place.

"I know."

"What else do we have here? Fresh sheets?" She ran her hand over them. They were soft.

"You don't have any, and you won't want to sleep directly on whatever mattress they give you. Gross." He made a disgusted face. "Of course, if you're not tired, you should feel free to invite me over and we'll find some other use for a nice, clean bed."

"Sure." She said, her hand going to his thigh. There was a yellow picture frame facedown at the bottom of the box. She flipped it over. The picture looked old, but it made her smile. It was them, when they were dating in college. She was dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast and he was the Beast. He was pretending to have captured her, but she looked far from frightened. "I love it." She crawled onto his lap.

He clasped his hands around her from behind as she looked at the picture. "I thought maybe you'd want a picture of us."

"I do. I don't have any." She turned around. "Thank you."

"Oh, and..." He pulled out his wallet and handed her 2 $100 bills.

"I can't take that." She pushed his hand away.

"You need food!" He argued.

"Yeah, so do you, and you eat a lot more than me." She wouldn't take it.

"You know how stubborn I am. And I just got a new job, so I can afford it."

"You did?" She pretended to be curious.

"Have you forgotten that you hired me? Uh-oh, the hospital's really in trouble now."

She laughed. "No. But we don't get paid for at least another week. How do you have this much money already?"

"Signing bonus came in." He waved a stack of bills in front of her face.

"I forgot about that. I can't believe we gave you money just for signing a contract."

"That's because I'm lengendary," He explained.

She rested her head on his chest and felt his heart beat through his t-shirt.

"Diagnostics department. That was genius. Wonder where you got that idea."

"I know," She teased, "I think that's what sold them on my interview."

"You're totally screwed if they find out about us."

"I know. They won't." She paused. "We just can't see each other for a while. I mean, like this. Just until I know the coast's clear."

"Oh." He legs shifted. "I think we can keep it a secret."

"We can't take any chances. This our shot at having jobs doing what we love. We'll still see each other every day."

"But I just got you back." He held her face to his to kiss her.

"You know you'll always have me."

His head leaned forward to meet hers. "I know."

* * *

A/N: Finished! I'm going to be taking a break for a bit because I've been writing for like 2 days straight and I need to get a life.

Look out for a sequel. :) Or you could just pretend that this wraps up to canon.


End file.
